Phase one of the Berkeley Homes development at Holborough in the south-east of England was nearing completion last summer when a fire at a timber frame construction site in Colindale threatened the reputation of the construction technique.
As a result, IFC Certification Ltd (part of International Fire Consultants Group) was asked to put together a scheme for Holborough that would reduce the risk of fire during construction.
“The fire risk mitigation scheme consists of a pre-construction risk review, looking at factors such as the local crime rate,” said IFC Certification director Jerry Quayle. “It then looks at the design, plot by plot and the risks associated with the dwelling type and its location within the site.”
Units are assessed as high, medium or low risk and measures such as manual fire bells, fire extinguishers and secure fuel storage are put in place.
Within the buildings, temporary fire doors are installed as soon as the frame is erected. In addition, BSW Alouette has also changed its manufacturing procedure to include a fire compartmentalisation system within the closed panels that form the party walls. These too are installed as soon as the outer frame is in place.
“These measures and the accreditation by an independent expert helped persuade Berkeley to stick with timber frame for phase two,” said BSW Alouette managing director Norman Gore.
