Jason A. Sutula, PhD, PE, CFEI, CFII, CFI
\nNoah L. Ryder, MSFPE, MBA, PE, CFEI<\/p>\n
ABSTRACT
\nOver the last several years, a continued push to design and build \u201cgreen or sustainable\u201d buildings has accelerated\u00a0throughout the United States. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the term \u201cgreen building\u201d is\u00a0defined as \u201c\u2026the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and\u00a0resource-efficient throughout a building\u2019s life-cycle from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance,\u00a0renovation and deconstruction.\u201d The goal of green building construction is to reduce the overall impact of building\u00a0and development on human health and the environment.<\/p>\n
While the concept of green building construction and green materials is important from a global perspective to ensure minimal impact of growth and development on the environment, little thought has been given to the impact\u00a0of green building construction and green materials on fire initiation or fire growth within green buildings or with\u00a0green materials. The risk of using these materials in building construction has been highlighted by a number of\u00a0recent fires in which firefighters were killed or injured, property losses have been excessive, and unexpected fire\u00a0damage has been observed.<\/p>\n
In the event that a fire incident occurs within green building construction, the type and installation locations of the\u00a0green materials can result in enhanced heat release rates and pathways of fire spread not typically observed with\u00a0standard construction materials. The composition, construction, and placement of green materials in newly\u00a0constructed structures runs the risk of creating fire damage that may be misinterpreted by investigators after a fire\u00a0incident.<\/p>\n
Thus, a need exists to develop a methodology that can be used to valuate and compare the potential fire growth risk\u00a0associated with green materials. This paper proposes the use of the cone alorimeter as a standard test method that\u00a0would allow for relevant material properties and material performance data to be obtained on green materials.\u00a0Example data is presented and linked to the potential consequences of fire growth on green materials as well as the\u00a0probability of a fire occurring or spreading. A simple formulation is then proposed that can be used to compare the\u00a0relative performance of green materials and the risk associated with them. Finally, the example data is extrapolated\u00a0within a limited example of a post-fire scene reconstruction to assess resulting damage patterns in the context of\u00a0green materials.<\/p>\n
Download the complete paper<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Jason A. Sutula, PhD, PE, CFEI, CFII, CFI Noah L. Ryder, MSFPE, MBA, PE, CFEI ABSTRACT Over the last several years, a continued push to design and build \u201cgreen or sustainable\u201d buildings has accelerated\u00a0throughout the United States. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the term \u201cgreen building\u201d is\u00a0defined as \u201c\u2026the practice of creating structures … Continue reading Quantifying the Hazards of Green Building Construction for Fire Investigation Analysis<\/span>