Alubond USA, the world leading fire-rated composite panel systems manufacturer, is spearheading a drive to enhance fire safety standards in buildings. The flagship brand of the UAE-headquartered Mulk Holdings, the manufacturer is at the forefront of fire safety initiatives in the construction sector, providing high-quality fire-rated cladding solutions compliant with the new UAE fire and life safety code of practice.

The company indicates that the recent spate of fires in the UAE has driven home the need to tighten the screws on fire protection systems in buildings, particularly with regard to the external façade.

“The recent fire accident at the Tamweel Tower in Jumeirah Lake Towers has reinforced the need to boost safety measures in residential buildings. It was the latest in a series of fires in the UAE, following the unfortunate incidents at the Al Tayer Building in Sharjah and the Saif Belhasa Residential Tower at Tecom in Dubai,” says Shaji Ul Mulk, the founder and chairman of Mulk Holdings, a multinational conglomerate with business interests in construction, healthcare and renewable energy sectors in the UAE, Europe, the US, India, China, Oman and Sri Lanka.

“While the causes that triggered the incident are being verified, an initial assessment – ringing common in all the occurrences – makes it clear that inflammable cladding material was key to the fire propagation throughout the building. This has sparked an urgent need for high-quality fire-resistant cladding for constructing safe living spaces,” says Mulk.

Recognised for its insulation properties and aesthetic value, cladding is now ubiquitous on the UAE’s bustling landscape. Cladding systems primarily consist of aluminium composite panels (ACPs) – the backbone of the building exteriors – insulation and the concrete wall coating.

“A cladding system can be said to be fire resistant only when all its components – panels, substructure, insulation and wall coating elements – are fire-resistant in their individual capacity. Even if one of the components is vulnerable to fire, it defeats the purpose of having a fire-safe cladding solution,” he asserts.

For instance, an analysis of the cladding system conducted at Al Tayer building revealed multiple fault lines, according to Mulk. “The primary cause of the fire spread was found to be the use of a highly inflammable LDPE (low density polyethylene) core in the panel, in the place of a fire-safe mineral core. However, an equally disastrous role was played by the other system components. The silicon-sealed systems were found to create a vacuum tunnel effect for the spread of fire flames.And finally, the use of bitumen as a concrete coating on the wall was found to have aided flame movement. It was deduced that this composition – common across cladding systems in the UAE – needs to be improved upon for good,” he point out.

New fire code

The new UAE fire and life safety code of practice provides pertinent guidelines. The new regulations posted on the Dubai Civil Defence (DCD) website (https://www.dcd.gov.ae/rules.php) specifies the use of fire-resistant ACPs with a mineral core rated as per international fire regulations, in the place of an inflammable LDPE core. They disallow the use of silicon or fillers in the cladding assembly joints and specify an open joint ventilated substructure backed with fire-resistant and high-density insulation. The rules also direct the supply of the complete system from a single manufacturer source. The entire system should be verified and approved at all the stages of construction including design, pre- and post-installation, by the manufacturer/fire consultant, thus, making the whole process tightly regulated, accountable and transparent for knowledgeable stakeholders.

“At the outset, these welcome regulations mark the coming of age of the construction and building materials sector in the UAE. As for the outcome of implementing them, there are successful references of similar regulatory programmes for fire safety in other parts of the world such as Singapore,” says Mulk, who is playing a major part in creating awareness of fire-safe cladding requirements.

Mulk believes what needs to be done immediately is creating awareness of fire-safe systems and measures among installers and the fabricator community. “This is paramount to avoid project delays, negative project cost implications and even stalling and breakdown of impending building structures,” he says.

He continues: “We are committed to the fire-safe awareness programme and will be conducting a series of seminars for fire consultants, fabricators, property owners and architects.”

He adds that a customer helpline and web support has been established to provide assistance to partners in the building industry. “We embrace these changes (in legislations) for a better and safer tomorrow and are confident that they will further make the UAE building materials industry a global force to reckon with.”

“The new regulations have amply covered buildings under construction and those that will be built in the future. However, the real threat is for existing buildings. We are still trying very hard to propose solutions to the regulatory authorities and consultants for the existing buildings and hope to see further amendments in the UAE Fire Code.”

With a brand presence in more than 80 countries, Alubond USA focuses in providing safe building solutions to all its customers. Its cladding systems consist of panels, substructure assembly, accessories and insulation. The panels are made with a highly fire-resistant mineral core; have been rated A2/B as per Euro fire standards; and have been tested successfully under all recognised international standards, Mulk points out. Additionally, Alubond USA has also been tested as a complete wall assembly for a T rating of 102 minutes under ASTM E119. Alubond USA systems are equipped with ABTI open grove ventilated substructure and high-density fire-rated rockwool insulation.