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What is Building Fire Integrity?

Building Fire Integrity is a term used in the Building Code of Australia (“BCA”) and in some jurisdictions to describe a range of 12 safety measures or features of building or structure that promote the integrity or compartmentation of a building when subjected to fire.

CEO, Firewize

The term Building Fire Integrity was previously found in the Building Code of Australia however has subsequently been removed but exists in some jurisdictions in Australia (such as Victoria) and is used to describe a range of safety features or measures (passive and some active) that exist to help prevent ignition, also prevent the spread of fire or maintain compartmentation and integrity of the building or structure.

The Victorian Building Regulations specifically define 12 safety features of a building (below) that make up the list of safety features under the heading of Building Fire Integrity.

The term Building Fire Integrity includes the following essential safety measures;

  1. Building elements required to satisfy prescribed fire-resistance levels
  2. Materials and assemblies required to have fire hazard properties
  3. Elements required to be non-combustible, provide fire protection, compartmentation or separation
  4. Wall-wetting sprinklers (including doors and windows required in conjunction with wall-wetting sprinklers)
  5. Fire doors (including sliding fire doors and their associated warning systems) and associated self-closing, automatic closing and latching mechanisms
  6. Fire windows (including windows that are automatic or permanently fixed in the closed position)
  7. Fire shutters
  8. Solid core doors and associated self-closing, automatic closing and latching mechanisms
  9. Fire-protection at service penetrations through elements required to be fire-resisting with respect to integrity or insulation, or to have a resistance to the incipient spread of fire
  10. Fire protection associated with construction joints, spaces and the like in and between building elements required to be fire-resisting with respect to integrity and insulation
  11. Smoke doors and associated self-closing, automatic closing and latching mechanisms
  12. Proscenium walls (including proscenium curtains)
     
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