2024, STATES Philip White, marked the shift from groundwork to meaningful action. There has been a demonstration of what’s possible when unity develops behind a shared goal, but that’s just the beginning. The long-term journey is all about building and managing a safer and more accountable built environment for everyone.

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IN ORDER to achieve the United Nations’ stated goal of ‘Net Zero’ carbon emissions by 2040, significant changes must be made, and particularly so in the construction sector. As the global population continues to grow, streamlining the construction industry becomes increasingly essential, emphasising the need to adopt more sustainable practices, as Ramtech Electronics reports.

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CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL Development (CPD) is essential for fire safety and HVAC engineers such that they can stay ahead in what is now a rapidly evolving industry, particularly so in view of the increasing demands exerted by the Building Safety Act 2022. Here, SMAY Ventilation Systems’ David Fitzpatrick examines the importance of CPD in fire safety and HVAC system design.

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THE SEVENTH anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire occurred on 14 June. In the time since that tragedy, we’ve focused on themes including the importance of responsibility and cultural change within the construction industry. While challenges remain within the built environment, many positive changes are taking place. Here, Craig Wells highlights the improvements being made.

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LATE LAST year, London Build Expo ran at London’s Olympia. As part of the conference programme for The Fire Safety Stage, a Quelfire-sponsored panel discussion involving selected professionals took place on 16 November from 11.00 am-11.50 am. The core subject up for debate? Standardising processes when it comes to firestopping. Fire Safety Matters reports on the key points that emerged.

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SELECTING AND then installing the correct passive fire protection system can be confusing given that there’s a range of application requirements and legislation in place, not to mention a host of products from which to choose. Here, Ken Francis addresses some of the most frequent questions posed by customers to members of the technical team at Promat.

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THE FIRE at the Beechmere Retirement Village in Crewe was one of the biggest incidents attended by the Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, writes Tom Roche. Occupied by elderly people, many of whom needed assistance, the facility was located in an unsprinklered building that was vulnerable to fire damage.

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2024 WILL witness a period of significant change for the construction industry as a whole, with a particularly keen focus placed on fire safety issues (including the provision of passive fire protection). Here, Christophe Bind looks ahead to what’s in store in the New Year.

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ARE YOU familiar with instances where firestopping installations may not have been entirely compliant? Maybe a fire collar was not mechanically fixed, a wrap was used in an oversized hole or PU foam was employed to seal around services? If so, the benefit of the doubt is yours. You were working to the best of your knowledge at the time. Indeed, acknowledging how you’ve worked in the past is the first step towards improvement, asserts Darryl Wells.

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HAVE YOU ever thought that Quelfire’s products are perhaps too expensive for the project you’re working on? Here, Craig Wells determines to change that mindset by focusing on the importance of test evidence underpinning fire products and systems used as part of the construction process.

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THERE IS often talk about why the construction and fire safety industries need to embrace cultural change and what both can do to facilitate that change, but in parallel it’s easy to forget to recognise those steps that have already been taken in the right direction. Here, Rebecca Croton focuses on some of the positive changes realised of late and celebrates the successes of all parties involved, from architects to installers, in making a positive difference.

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THE COST of living is at an all-time high just now, so as a business owner how can you deliver a price increase announcement for your customers? Here, Simon Tushingham Jones provides key tips on how to do just that, as well as explaining an effective way in which to increase costs without losing valuable customers.

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THE SUBJECT of competency in relation to fire safety was brought to the fore in the wake of Grenfell Tower and Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety. Here, Justin Maltby-Smith discusses the importance of confirming competency and individuals’ responsibilities within the ‘golden thread’ of fire safety.

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SINCE THE beginning of the year, there has been a raft of new announcements from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on the subject of building safety and, of course, the cladding crisis. Niall Rowan discusses their implications for the construction industry.

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Peter Baker is at the very forefront of establishing the new Building Safety Regulator within the Health and Safety Executive and leading on the delivery of a stronger and more robust safety regime for higher risk residential developments. Brian Sims unearths more of the underpinning detail in conversation with the newly appointed Chief Inspector of Buildings

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What steps can fire safety engineers and specifiers take to identify suitable construction products and how can manufacturers – and notably so the manufacturers of fire safety solutions – better support them in ensuring that every building is safe, compliant and built to last? Graham Laws searches for some definitive answers

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Sadly, the most common cause of death in a fire incident continues to be the excessive inhalation of gas, smoke or toxic fumes. In-built fire curtain barriers are included as one element of building designs to prevent the spread of flames and smoke and, as a result, reduce the risk to occupant safety. David Keeble focuses his attentions on the fine detail

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Those industry professionals visiting Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre in early September to attend Nineteen Group’s Safety and Security Series will be privy to the UK’s largest group of events wholly dedicated to protecting people, property and assets. Here, Fire Safety Matters takes a look at what’s in store for practitioners at The Fire Safety Event

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From 7-9 September, The Fire Safety Event makes a triumphal return to the NEC in Birmingham, with organiser Nineteen Events promising a show that’s bigger and better than ever. Here, Fire Safety Matters learns all about what’s on offer for visitors and seminar delegates from event director Tristan Norman

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FOUR YEARS on from the Grenfell Tower disaster we mourn those who died, writes Reece Goodman, but also take stock of what has happened since then.

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