Grenfell Tower – One Year On

Following the awful Grenfell Tower fire in west London on 14th June 2017, the UK
government have been working closely with industry experts to review the Building
Regulations and the design, construction, and management of high-risk buildings.

This presentation will give a summary of the findings from the investigation and
the many industry workshops held to uncover the causes of how the Grenfell
Tower fire spread. What actions have the UK authorities taken alongside industry
stakeholders to try and prevent future tragedies.

Secondly, the presentation will give an update on the ongoing work on the
international movement to develop consistent fire safety standards globally for
high-risk buildings.
Gary Strong, a Chartered Building Surveyor, Chartered Arbitrator, Chartered
Loss Adjuster and Chartered Building Engineer, and practised as a surveyor,
building engineer, expert witness and arbitrator for 38 years. Highlights of a
successful career are the landmark House of Lords case of Delaware Mansions
(Flecksun Ltd) –v- City of Westminster and the Heathrow Tunnel collapse
project.

Has spent most of his career investigating fires and rebuilding post-fire,
incorporating latest best practice. Is particularly experienced in managing
buildings in use, and upgrading/refurbishing to modern codes. Currently
responsible for developing standards and guidance for RICS professionals
globally in 137 countries and is RICS media spokesman on technical surveying
subjects. He has appeared on many international tv channels inc BBC One
Show, BBC radio and is a regular contributor to various journals and as a
presenter at conferences.

Currently consultant to BBC, and the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), and
post Grenfell Tower is leading the RICS fire advisory group advising government
and is a member of the UK Construction Industry Council Expert Panel.

Gary is Chair of the CTBUH Fire & Facades Working Group, and is leading the
work on developing a global UN-backed coalition of professional bodies who
aim to achieve International Fire Safety Standards particularly for high rise, high
risk buildings.
 Learning Objectives
1. Learn about the Grenfell fire

2. Learn what has happened since the fire

3. Learn about the International Fire Safety Standards (IFSS) Coalition,

a UN-backed initiative.
“With the exception of language, it would not be an
exaggeration to characterise global fire safety standards
as the most urgent outstanding issue in the pursuit of the
public interest in global safety and performance
comparability.”

Gary Strong BSc (Hons) FRICS FCIArb CBuildE CABE FCILA FUEDI-ELAE
Global Building Standards Director, RICS

Chair – CTBUH Fire & Facades Group

Chair – International Fire Safety Standards Coalition

rics.org/standards
 Façade fires

Kate Nguyen
 TTrends in fires, England, 1999/00 to 2016/17
TOTAL, all fires, TOTAL, all fires,
300,000 2003/04, 473,600 2016/17, 162,000

Figure 1: Trends in fires, IRS, England; 1999/00 to 2016/17

250,000
Number
of fires 200,000 Secondary, 2003/04,
294,688

150,000
Secondary, 2016/17,
82,746
100,000

50,000 Primary, 2016/17,

74,803

Primary Secondary Chimney

Kate Nguyen
 Grenfell Tower update
• First 999 call at 12.57am June 14th 2017 from
flat 16 on 4th floor
• ACM cladding & insulation caused rapid fire
spread
• Window filler insulation boards accentuated
fire
• Windows were open causing leapfrogging
• Electrical surges history
• Single staircase 24 storey building
• 293 residents
• Some fire doors open, missing closers
rics.org/standards
 Grenfell Tower update
• Stay Put policy
• No sprinklers
• Toxic smoke in stairwell
• No working residents fire alarm
• Fire doors failed tests, closers missing
• Firefighters inside not aware of cladding fire
externally
• Stay Put policy reversed at 2.47am
• 72 final death toll, carbon monoxide main
cause of death
• 441 other buildings as at 30th Nov 2018
rics.org/standards
 The Roots of Grenfell

bbc.co.uk

Middle East
Grenfell tower, London
Europe
India &
Bangladesh
South America

Africa Australia
9 rics.org/standards
 Grenfell Tower update
Independent Expert Advisory Panel
IRG – Industry Response Group
Public Inquiry
Dame Judith Hackitt Building
Regulations and Fire Safety Review
Criminal investigation
7 large scale BS8414 tests
Guidance issued to building owners by
MHCLG continuing
Building Safety Programme
Building Solutions Programme
rics.org/standards
 Grenfell Tower update
• Initial focus on ACM
• Clear that little
understanding of
building regs
requirements
• Ban on ‘combustible’
cladding wef
21/12/18 in England
• Scotland changes
Feb 2021

rics.org/standards
 Façade fires

Hotel building - Rostov-on-Don, Grenfell tower, London Shanghai, China

Russia

Baku, Azerbaijan Address Downtown hotel, UAE Lacrosse tower fire, Melbourne

(kate.nguyen@unimelb.edu.au)
 Building
Grenfell Tower
Location
London, UK
Year
2017 Façade fires Description
External cladding which consisted of ACM panels with PE core 72 dead
70+ injured
Damage

The Address Downtown Dubai Dubai, UAE 2016 An electrical short circuit on a spotlight was the cause 16 minor injuries
(302m tall)

Marina Torch (352m) Dubai, UAE 2015 Fire initiated in the 52nd floor and spread quickly due to high winds, combustible cladding No injuries
& 2017

Tamweel Tower (160m tall) Dubai, UAE 2012 Vertical bands of exterior cladding from ground to roof level Repair works have begun
ACM panels with PE core after 3 years

Saif Belhasa Building (13 stories) Dubai, UAE 2012 Cladding consisted of ACM panels with PE core 9 flats destroyed
2 injured
Debris damaged 5 vehicles

16 Storey apartment building Baku, 2015 Rapid fire spread along the cladding. Combustible panels according to reports. 17 dead
Azerbaijan 60 injured

Lacrosse Building Melbourne, 2014 External wall cladding and aided by combustible material located within the wall structure No injuries
Australia quickly spread to the top of the building

18 storey building Roubaix, 2012 Highly flammable outer cladding 1 dead

France 1 injured

28 storey building Shanghai, 2010 Polyurethane insulation to external walls 53 dead

China 90 injured

Monte Carlo Hotel (32 stories) Las Vegas, US 2008 Exterior insulation and finish system which consists of a layer of expanded polystyrene foam 13 minor injuries
adhered to gypsum sheathing

Kate Nguyen
 Cladding system tests Result

Test 1
Failed
Cladding system tests - UK
cladding system formed using ACM panels with an unmodified polyethylene core (PE) and a rigid
polyisocyanurate foam (PIR) insulation

Test 2
cladding system formed using ACM panels with unmodified polyethylene core (PE) (Cat 3 in screening tests)
Failed
and stone wool insulation

Test 3
cladding system formed using ACM panels with a fire-retardant polyethylene core (FR) and a PIR foam
Failed
insulation

Test 7
cladding system formed using ACM panels with fire-retardant polyethylene filler (Cat 2 in screening tests)
Failed
with phenolic foam insulation

Test 4
cladding system formed using ACM panels with a fire-retardant (FR) core and stone wool insulation
Passed

Test 5
cladding system formed using ACM panels with a limited combustibility filler (A2) with PIR foam insulation
Passed

Test 6
cladding system formed using ACM panels with a limited combustibility filler (Cat 1 in screening tests) and
Passed
rics.org/standards

mineral (or stone) wool insulation

Combustibility (kate.nguyen@unimelb.edu.au)

National Construction Code International Building Code Building regulations

(NCC) (IBC) (ADB)

1) If the weight loss of specimen ≤ Non-combustible

50% 1) tt ≤ 5 s
1) tt ≤ 5 s
I. ∆Tfurnace & specimen ≤ 30°C 2) ∆m ≤ 50%
2) ∆Tfurnace ≤ 50°C
II. No flaming from the specimen 3) ∆Tfurnace & specimen ≤ 30°C
3) ∆Tspecimen ≤ 50°C
after the first 30 seconds

2) If the weight loss > 50% Limited combustibility

I. tt = 0 s 1) tt ≤ 20 s
II. ∆Tfurnace & specimen = 0 2) ∆m ≤ 50%
3) ∆Tfurnace & specimen ≤ 50°C
Mat. 1

Mat. 2 (Limited combustibility)

AS 1530.1 ASTM E136 or ISO 1182 BS EN ISO 1182 and/or

BS EN ISO 1716 (and EN) 13823
15 rics.org/standards
Assembly Test Comparison

Test Test Dimension Fire Source Peak Heat Flux Primary Criteria (Failure
to Panels* Evaluation)

Temperature via thermocouple

NFPA 285 17.5 feet tall, 13.3 feet Two gas burners (HRR = 1.3 40 kW/m2 measurement
wide MW) (10 ft elevation, 1000°F)

Temperature via thermocouple

BS-8414 32 feet tall, 9 feet wide, Wood crib 75 kW/m2 measurement (16.4 ft elevation,
with a 5 foot wide wing (HRR = 3±0.5 MW) 1110°F
Wall above ambient)

FM 16-ft PPT 16 feet tall, 3.5 One gas burner 100 kW/m2 Peak HRR > 1100 kW
feet wide (HRR = 360 kW)

rics.org/standards
 MHCLG cladding categorisation

1. ACM cladding with A2 filler (category 1) can be safe on buildings over 18m with foam
insulation or stone wool insulation – really ?

2. ACM cladding with fire retardant polyethylene filler (category 2):

• presents a notable fire hazard on buildings over 18m when used with rigid polymeric
foam insulation based on the evidence currently available.
• can be safe on buildings over 18m if used with non-combustible insulation (e.g. stone
wool)

• ACM cladding with unmodified polyethylene filler (category 3) presents a significant fire
hazard on buildings over 18m with any form of insulation.

17 rics.org/standards
Non ACM cladding is also an issue

rics.org/standards
Innovation will pose challenges

rics.org/standards
Electrical issues
21st October 2017
Residents evacuated in
Walpole Road and Hamilton
Road, Bournemouth on
Friday after power surge
sparks five fires
http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/15610931.Hundreds_of_people_sti

ll_without_electricity_after_power_surge_causes_house_fires/

rics.org/standards
Sprinklers

In Wales, sprinklers are now mandatory

for ALL residential new buildings – and in
Scotland above 18m (changing in Feb
2021) - but not in England, or
Northern Ireland.
Recommended in AD B above
30m but NOT mandatory.
NOT retrospective.
rics.org/standards
Procurement

1. Hyde launches £2.4bn fire

safety procurement framework
News12/07/18
A major London housing association
has launched a £2.4bn fire safety
procurement framework.

2. ‘value engineering’ = cost

savings
rics.org/standards
Fire door issues

Fire door manufacturer withdraws

products from sale following post-
Grenfell tests
News 19/07/18

rics.org/standards
Procurement

London association to remove

non-ACM laminate cladding after
failed test
News11/07/18
A large London housing association
is working to strip cladding from a
tower block of a kind recently
revealed never to have passed a
large-scale test.

rics.org/standards
 Media – every day
Housing associations face being stuck with dangerous cladding on leased
blocks

Grenfell Inquiry day 22: description of hectic scenes within control room

Hyde launches £2.4bn fire safety procurement framework

Grenfell Inquiry day 21: account from ‘nerve centre’ of fire brigade response

Control room technology caused Grenfell response difficulties, inquiry hears

London association to remove non-ACM laminate cladding after failed test

FPA to launch alternative cladding testing regime

Widely used combustible cladding has never passed large-scale test

Grenfell Inquiry day 20: firefighter describes ‘huge volume’ of calls from
trapped residents

Britain flouting human rights over ACM rics.org/standards

 Dame Judith Hackitt final report Building a Safer Future
Dame Judith Hackitt found that:

1. Roles and responsibilities for building safety are unclear;

2. Regulations and guidance are "ambiguous and inconsistent"
and are "misunderstood and misinterpreted”;
3. The process that drives compliance with the regulations are
"weak and complex with poor record keeping and change
control in too many cases";
4. Competence (of people in the system) is "patchy";
5. Product testing, labelling and marketing is “opaque and
insufficient”;
6. Residents' voices go unheard

26 rics.org/standards
 Dame Judith Hackitt final report Building a Safer Future
53 principal recommendations:
• a stronger and tougher regulatory framework for higher risk
residential buildings (HRRBs) that are 10 storeys
• a Joint Competent Authority (JCA) comprising fire and rescue
authorities, Local Authority Building Standards and HSE to
oversee better management of safety risks (through safety
cases) across their entire life cycle
• introduction of a safety case approach & permissions
• clear responsibilities to actively manage on-going
safety during occupation

27 rics.org/standards
 Dame Judith Hackitt final report Building a Safer Future

• mandatory incident reporting

• key roles & responsibilities
• overhaul of guidance
• digital records – inc BIM
• stronger enforcement & criminal sanctions
• effective leadership & competence for key roles
• stronger testing, labelling & traceability of products
• empowering residents’ voices

28 rics.org/standards
CDM – Construction Design & Management Regulations

Client
Principal Designer
Principal Contractor
Health & Safety File
Notification to HSE
Criminal prosecutions

29 rics.org/standards
Insurance issues

Buildings insurance

PI insurance

30 rics.org/standards
Benefits to business of standards

From investors to the public, they offer significant benefits to

different stakeholders:
Professional advisors Investors Multinationals
enhance performance comparability of better understanding
and reputation
1 sound investments on a
like for like basis 2 of property portfolio
3
Developers Governments Public
ability to attract political, market transparency confidence in
new clients from all
markets/regions 4 and investment
potential 5 governments
and buildings 6
rics.org/standards
International standards – working together

rics.org/standards
IFSS – Valuation of real estate challenges

Valuation
o Based on open market value
o Use best comparables available
o Public sentiment is against dangerous buildings
o Global investors very aware of this as a global
issue
o Local investors very aware
o Banks very aware of inconsistencies
o So no investment and inability to raise finance

rics.org/standards
IFSS - International Fire Safety Standards

rics.org/standards
Why is there a need for IFSS?

Property of all types is built and managed differently around the

world, which leads to:

• Difficulty in providing consistent and transparent

information from one market to the next
• Inconsistency further undermining existing international
standards such as IFRS and IVS
• A degree of uncertainty in property markets
• Uncertainty for international financial investors
• Uncertainty by the public leading to political instability

rics.org/standards
Fire Safety in Buildings

Fire safety in buildings has two arenas:

• Design and construction – providing the fire safety
infrastructure
• Building in use – using and maintaining the fire
safety infrastructure

rics.org/standards
Design and Construction – Providing the fire safety infrastructure
Fire safety design needs to address:
• Holistically the whole building, not just cladding,
on a fire engineered approach
• Fire prevention and arson resistance
• Fire detection and alarm
• Means of escape/evacuation
• Structural fire resilience
• Fire growth control incl fire suppression
• Fire fighting facilities
• Fire engineers input
• Supervision of construction
• Competency rics.org/standards
Building In Use – Using and maintaining the fire safety infrastructure

• Fire risk assessment

• Building management
o Regular inspection, reporting & testing
o Maintenance
• Training
• Existing buildings – incremental improvements
• Competency

rics.org/standards
What are International Fire Safety Standards (IFSS)?

IFSS will offer a global solution to:

• Address current inconsistencies in the way property is designed,
built and managed for fire safety
• Ensure different types of property including offices, residential, retail
and industrial are safe for users
• Ensure confidence in property investment

IFSS will be implemented by all coalition organisations, through their

members.

rics.org/standards
IFSS – Consistency

Consistency
• Consistent standards enable governments & clients
to accurately quantify risks and other sustainability
measures.
• Enable governments to reassure the public and
investors

rics.org/standards
IFSS – Inward investment

Transparency
• Improved confidence in national market for
foreign direct investment at all stages of the
property lifecycle.

rics.org/standards
IFSS – Consistent

Comparability
• Removes need for multiple differing
standards within countries (such as the UK), and
allows for better foreign direct investment
assessment.

rics.org/standards
IFSS – Future proof

Future proof
• Utilising international best practice early as the
world moves to this set of standards, as it has
done with IFRS and other international standards.

rics.org/standards
IFSS – Challenges

Why not ISO ?

• Takes too long and costs too much
• ISO set up for products not professional behaviour
• IP owned by ISO and cost (of downloading) is a
barrier
• Any one country can veto a standard
• IFSS Coalition members develop the standards and
ensure it’s adoption

rics.org/standards
IFSS – Team approach

• These issues need a team approach

• Fire engineers are key to the solutions

• Opportunity to build a global fire engineering

profession is huge, particularly in high risk
buildings

• Professional bodies must collaborate

rics.org/standards
 United Nations, Geneva 9th July 2018

46 © 2016 RICS
rics.org/standards
 Get involved –
gstrong@rics.org

47 rics.org/standards
Professional standards are

Good for business

Good for govts
Good for the public

48 rics.org/standards