Traditional and Modern Firewalls in Construction

The traditional role of firewalls was to establish fire divisions designed to restrict fire to one division with no attempts to extinguish the fire.

Two strategies were generally available to establish fire divisions:

• Spatial separation
• Firewalls

Firewall construction was typically of masonry construction in order to prevent penetration by falling debris arising from adjacent collapsing construction.

Recent changes to the NBCC permit walls that are not masonry provided that the fire resistance rating is protected against damage.

This panel discussion will outline the original intent of firewalls, including various arrangements to assure structural stability and ‘burn-around’ at roofs and walls. Different experts will be presenting the pros and cons of different types of firewalls in various construction types.

Panel members will include:

• Bob Heikkila: CFT Engineering
• Kash Vorell: GHL
• John Ivison: John Ivison and Associates
• Structural and other members to be confirmed.

Date: November 15, 2016
Time: Registration and Reception 5:30pm
Location: False Creek Yacht Club (1661 Granville Street)
Cost: Members - $30; Non-members $35. Please bring cash or a cheque payable to BC Society of Fire Protection Engineers to cover the cost of dinner.
Registration Deadline: November 10, 2016

Free parking is available in the Yacht Club parking lot.