Fire Safety Considerations When Specifying Insulation for an Inverted Flat Roof

Description

It is a legal requirement for buildings to be designed to prevent the spread of fire from one structure to another and consideration must be given to this while designing and specifying building materials for use in an inverted flat roof. There has been an increased focus on fire safety in residential buildings following the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, where combustible materials used in the cladding of the tower are believed to have contributed to the spread of fire. However, this does not mean that only non-combustible materials can be used safely in an inverted flat roof. This CPD discusses how fire regulations apply to inverted roofs and how this impacts on specification of insulation materials. By the end of the article you should have a greater understanding of:

- How Approved Document B applies to inverted flat roofs

- The impact of EC Decision 2000/553/EC on testing requirements

- The importance of selecting appropriate insulation material