Fire Safety in High-rise Buildings

More than half of the world’s population now lives in urban areas. As a result, tall buildings, which can host a large number of occupants, have become a common feature in modern cities.

Over the last two decades, the global number of buildings taller than 656 feet (200 meters) has increased by 567%, up from 260 in 2000 to 1,733 in 2020. Considering the towering increase of skyscrapers globally, the safety of the people that occupy them is more crucial than ever.

The above infographic from the North American Modern Building Alliance (NAMBA) highlights the need for fire safety in high-rise buildings and shows how the U.S. is leading the way for facade fire testing and safety regulations.

The Importance of Building Fire Safety

With more tall buildings filling the sky, the number of high-rise fires has also risen.

Fire safety is a critical feature of any building, especially for high-rises in densely populated urban areas, for two key reasons:

• Higher number of occupants can slow down evacuation times in the event of a fire
• Fires can spread faster vertically and in smaller spaces

Fires are most dangerous when they cannot be contained, and the structural components of a building play a critical role in limiting the spread of a fire—including its exterior shell, known as the facade.

What is a Facade?

As an integral part of a building’s exterior, the (Read more...)