Building standards give us false hope

[ramsy]

One of the strictest building and fire-code standards on the planet has proven a miserable failure, a warning of whats to come for many.

https://techxplore.com/news/2020-01-standards-false-fireproof-house.html

Building standards give us false hope. There's no such thing as a fireproof house
by Geoff Hanmer, The Conversation

 

[480sparky]

Never heard anyone, ever, claim a fireproof house.

 

[LarryFine]

Never heard anyone, ever, claim a fireproof house.

Not even an Eskimo?

 

[tom baker]

thomas edison developed forms for concrete houses - he once had the largest cement kiln in the world. He may of claimed fireproof I will check. He lost many buildings to fire.

 

[jeffmackinnon]

The only line that I can get behind in this article is, "It'd be better to rethink where we build"

Having a water-proof or fire-proof structure. Especially when there is a raging bush/forest fire coming towards it.

 

[drcampbell]

I'm originally from Chicago, where we studied some of the "fireproof" commercial-building designs of the post-great-fire era. (c.1872-1893 or so)

One of the popular designs was deemed "fireproof" because nearly all the building materials were non-combustible. Cast-iron columns, steel girders & joists, metal wall studs & wire-mesh lath covered with asbestos plaster, concrete & tile floors. All wiring -- including thermostats & phones -- in steel conduit. Seemingly invincible.

Then they were put into service, and filled with furniture, dry goods, clothing, office supplies, ... The buildings didn't burn, but the contents sure did. And when the contents burned with enough intensity, the steel girders sagged, the concrete turned back into anhydrous cement dust and hot cast-iron columns exploded and collapsed when hit with water. Who'd'a thunk? There's more to fire safety than just non-combustible building materials. And the only way to discover what you didn't know is often the hard way.

 

[480sparky]

Not even an Eskimo?

Never ran into one.

 

[roger]

I was on a project where a 3/4 Olympic size pool was sprinkled. I know some people may have greasy hair but I didn't know it was that bad.

Roger

 

[PaulMmn]

I was on a project where a 3/4 Olympic size pool was sprinkled.

Roger

That's an interesting turn of phrase! Sounds like what you do to clothing before you iron it.