A new
survey shows overwhelming support (90 per cent) among the British public for
all new high-rise and high-risk buildings to be clad and insulated in
non-combustible materials only.
This news
comes less than two months before the first anniversary of the Grenfell Tower
fire, and ahead of Dame Judith Hackitt’s independent review of building
regulations and fire safety, anticipated in May 2018.
The
survey, commissioned by ROCKWOOL and carried out by online market research
company, Research Now, polled a sample of 2,004 members of the UK public. Of
those questioned, 71 percent also called for a ban on the use of desktop
studies as a way of assessing the fire performance of cladding systems used on
buildings. This finding follows the launch of a consultation last week by the
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to explore the
possibility of “significantly restricting or banning” this route to compliance
with building regulations.
Darryl
Matthews, managing director of ROCKWOOL UK, says: “It is very encouraging,
though not surprising, to see such widespread public support for the use of
non-combustible materials on high-risk and high-rise buildings. Requiring the
use of non-combustible cladding and insulation materials on new buildings would
help protect public safety and remove the need altogether for desktop studies,
which allow manufactures to commission unregulated, unpublished reports
assessing their materials’ theoretical safety for high-rise buildings”.
As we
approach the publication of Dame Judith Hackitt’s final report, the Government
should take note of the public’s strong views on these issues and act
accordingly to improve fire safety across this country”.
Fifty-three per cent of respondents believe the central government should take ultimate
responsibility for ensuring all high-rise buildings comply with building
regulations. Although Dame Judith Hackitt’s interim report in December
recommended reform should come from within the building industry, the survey
indicates that just 31 percent trust the construction industry to minimise the
future risk to life and property.
The survey
findings include:
- Significant support for all existing (86 percent) and new (88
percent) high-rise and high-risk buildings such as schools, hospitals and
towers be required by law to be fitted with sprinkler systems.
- 91 percent of respondents agreed that all newly built high-rise
and high-risk buildings, such as schools, hospitals and tower blocks,
should have multiple escape routes.
Alan
Brinson, Executive Director of the European Fire Sprinkler Network, comments:
“Sprinklers are highly effective fire safety systems. They are not expensive
and have been fitted in many existing buildings. The public recognises this and
supports their wider use. Wales already requires sprinklers in all new housing
and in Scotland there is a proposal to require them in more buildings. All eyes
are now on England.”
