Description:

Timber construction is becoming increasingly popular due to its environmental and aesthetic benefits. However, the use of timber in construction also presents significant challenges, particularly in the area of fire safety. Existing fire safety guidelines are not always adequately adapted to modern timber construction technologies, which may pose risks to the safety of buildings and their occupants. It is therefore essential to develop new guidelines based on best practices and the latest research on the fire safety of timber structures. A major challenge lies in current building regulations in different countries, which restrict the use of timber as a load-bearing material and as an exposed surface in various ways in order to ensure fire safety. At present, technical guidelines for fire safety design around the world remain relatively strict regarding the use of timber in large public buildings and tall buildings. Although regulatory systems for fire safety design differ across regions, they are generally based on the same fundamental principles: the protection of life and property and the definition of performance requirements for buildings. Over the past decades, opportunities for timber construction have gradually expanded in many countries, primarily because of the environmental advantages associated with the use of wood. Nevertheless, fire safety regulations still impose limitations in many jurisdictions, especially for taller buildings. Despite these restrictions, recent years have seen several successful examples of tall timber construction made possible through the application of engineering methods, including:

• Ascent, Milwaukee, USA – a 25-storey building, 86.6 metres in height
• Mjøstårnet, Brumunddal, Norway – an 18-storey building, 85.4 metres in height
• HoHo Wien, Vienna, Austria – a 24-storey building, 84 metres in height
• Sara Kulturhus Centre, Skellefteå, Sweden – a 20-storey building, 72.8 metres in height.

Main Goals:

The proposed project has the following objectives:

• to conduct a comprehensive review of existing national fire safety guidelines with regard to timber construction technologies and assess their adequacy,
• to analyse international fire safety guidelines in markets where timber construction is already well developed,
• to develop expert foundations for a proposal of new fire safety guidelines for the use of timber in various construction technologies,
• and to prepare recommendations for the implementation of the new guidelines in engineering practice, including the education and training of construction professionals.

Work Packages:

Work Package 1: Review of Existing Guidelines and Technologies (Lead Beneficiary: UL FGG)

Duration: Months 1–5
Partners involved: ZAG

This work package will provide a comprehensive review of existing fire safety guidelines and timber construction technologies. It will address the technical, organisational, and financial aspects of current guidelines, while also ensuring effective coordination among project partners, the organisation of project meetings, monitoring of project progress, and reporting activities.

Tasks:

• Task 1.1 (Months 1–3): Collection and review of relevant scientific and technical literature
• Task 1.2 (Months 3–4): Analysis of existing fire safety guidelines and timber construction technologies
• Task 1.3 (Month 5): Preparation of the report summarising the findings

Deliverables:

• Meeting reports
• Interim progress reports
• Final report on the review of existing guidelines and technologies

Work Package 2: Analysis of International Fire Safety Guidelines (Lead Beneficiary: UL FGG)

Duration: Months 4–7
Partners involved: ZAG

This work package will analyse international fire safety guidelines in markets where timber construction is already well established. The main objectives are to identify key markets and regulatory approaches, collect relevant information through expert consultations and interviews, analyse the collected data, and prepare a report on the findings.

Tasks:

• Task 2.1 (Months 4–5): Identification of key markets and relevant fire safety guidelines
• Task 2.2 (Month 6): Conducting expert interviews and collecting data
• Task 2.3 (Month 7): Analysis of the collected data and preparation of the report

Deliverables:

• Interview reports
• Data analysis report
• Final report on international fire safety guidelines

Work Package 3: Case Studies of Tall Timber Buildings (Lead Beneficiary: UL FGG)

Duration: Months 5–9

This work package will focus on case studies of tall timber buildings that have already been successfully constructed worldwide. Its objectives are to identify and select relevant case studies, collect and analyse data on their design and implementation, and prepare a report highlighting key findings and transferable lessons for future applications.

Tasks:

• Task 3.1 (Months 5–6): Identification and selection of relevant case studies
• Task 3.2 (Months 6–7): Collection and analysis of case study data
• Task 3.3 (Months 8–9): Preparation of the report on findings

Deliverables:

• Case study documentation
• Data analysis report
• Final report on tall timber building case studies

Work Package 4: Development of New Fire Safety Guidelines (Lead Beneficiary: UL FGG)

Duration: Months 9–13
Partners involved: ZAG

This work package will develop a proposal for new fire safety guidelines governing the use of timber in different construction systems and technologies. It will include the preparation of a draft guideline document, expert review and revision, and the finalisation of the proposed guidelines for publication.

Tasks:

• Task 4.1 (Months 9–10): Development of the draft fire safety guidelines
• Task 4.2 (Months 11–12): Expert review and revision of the draft guidelines
• Task 4.3 (Month 13): Finalisation and publication of the proposed guidelines

Deliverables:

• Draft fire safety guidelines
• Revised guideline document
• Final guideline document

Work Package 5: Integration and Dissemination of Results (Lead Beneficiary: UL FGG)

Duration: Months 13–15
Partners involved: ZAG

This work package will ensure the integration of project results and their effective dissemination to relevant stakeholders. Activities will include the preparation of dissemination materials, organisation of workshops, publication of project outputs, and maintenance of the project website in order to support knowledge transfer and wider uptake of the developed guidelines.

Tasks:

• Task 5.1 (Month 13): Preparation of dissemination materials
• Task 5.2 (Month 14): Organisation of workshops and publication of project outputs
• Task 5.3 (Month 15): Website maintenance and continued dissemination activities

Deliverables:

• Dissemination materials
• Workshop reports
• Published outputs
• Maintained project website