Correct Insulation Can Help Prevent Fire Risks

Turkey experiences approximately 75,000 fire incidents annually, yet the possibility of preventing fires through insulation remains largely unknown. Beyond active fire safety measures, the path to fire protection in buildings lies in insulation, which is considered a passive preventive measure.

Rather than remaining passive as wooden historical structures have been reduced to ash by fire in previous years, special insulation should be implemented to prevent the loss of cultural heritage, and fire-resistant insulation should be mandated in historical restoration projects. The likelihood of fire occurring in daily life is not as low as commonly thought. Over the past 5 years in our country, excluding forest fires, approximately 390,000 fire incidents have occurred, in which approximately 1,729 citizens lost their lives. According to findings by the T.C. Prime Ministry Disaster and Emergency Management Authority, this resulted in material damage valued at approximately TRY 996 million. Structural measures that slow the spread of fire effects within buildings and to neighboring structures, enabling safe evacuation of individuals from fire scenes, and protecting life and property safety

are referred to as "Fire Insulation," and awareness should be created throughout Turkey that the widespread adoption of fire insulation would significantly reduce loss of life and property.

Within the scope of fire insulation, passive fire protection systems provide the greatest benefit for active fire protection systems to function during a fire. Passive protection measures are precautions that must be considered during the architectural design phase, ensuring that the structure is resistant to fire and smoke spread and to damage that would occur during a fire, thereby aiming to protect life and property in the event of fire. When insulation is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is thermal and water insulation applications; the greatest danger that emerges is fire. To protect against fire, awareness must be raised by selecting materials in compliance with fire regulations and conducting applications according to these criteria, thereby educating individuals and society.

It must be borne in mind that through correct material selection, correct design, and correct application in fire insulation, loss of life and property can be prevented, and that insulation work should be performed by qualified expert firms and professionals.

In the research on "Insulation in Turkey" that we commissioned from TNS Research Company as Eryap A.Ş., quite significant findings emerged regarding problems faced by residents regarding insulation and the current condition of buildings in our country. According to the survey conducted, more than half of Turkish households reported experiencing heat loss, dampness, and water leakage in their homes, and when the results were evaluated, it was observed that water insulation and fire insulation in buildings were given almost no importance by households. The crucial point is that more than half of the population have never had their building foundations inspected and lack knowledge about their structure's stability. Approximately two-thirds of Turkey lies in an earthquake zone, and the fact that water and fire insulation, which directly affect building lifespan and human life, rank in the last two priority positions is quite thought-provoking and simultaneously alarming.

Building production is a chain comprising numerous pre-construction processes such as planning, initiation, investment, and design.

For this reason, during the design phase that encompasses pre-construction, fire-related performance approaches must be considered in the economic evaluation of the product to be designed and in ensuring that design results provide certain feedback. This is because in a closed space, when a fully developed fire occurs, the temperature in the space exceeds 500°C, and heat is generated at 120-150 kW/m² depending on the quantity of combustible material and fire load in the environment. As the depth of the space increases, the fire temperature also begins to rise. In such fires, window (opening) size and shape, the size and shape of the space, and the thermal properties and fire resistance performance of wall and ceiling coverings are important criteria affecting fire spread (Altındaş, 2014). The most appropriate concept that can be used in defining fire safety in a structure is "Fire Resistance Period." Fire resistance period (REI) can be measured by Load-Bearing Capacity, Integrity, and Insulation criteria. Each construction, depending on the functions its elements perform, requires different criteria (Kanan and Beyhan, 2013). Insulation, one of these three criteria, provides the competence to function as a separating layer that prevents temperature rise between layers for the building. Fire insulation materials used in buildings should be evaluated from a fire safety perspective, and by preferring the use of Class A non-combustible materials, both the building's structure will be protected and fire spread will be prevented.

As Eryap A.Ş., which is a member of TÜYAK (Turkey Fire Protection and Education Foundation), to counter all this lack of insulation awareness, we offer multifaceted insulation to buildings with our Wooler brand stone wool product, while specifically aiming to provide special protection in buildings for fire insulation.

Wooler stone wool is a fire-resistant, water-repellent thermal, acoustic, and fire insulation material containing 97 percent fibers, created by melting inorganic stones such as basalt, diabase, and dolomite obtained from volcanic rocks at temperatures between 1400-1500°C and converting them into fiber form. With Class A1 non-combustibility properties, Wooler stone wool provides fire safety in fire insulation, demonstrates resistance to temperatures up to 750°C, protecting the structure from the effects of fire. Additionally, considering the system cross-sections used in buildings, it provides fire resistance ranging from 30 minutes to 180 minutes. In conclusion, Wooler stone wool is unquestionably the most important insulation product for buildings in terms of energy savings (thermal insulation), noise protection (acoustic insulation), and fire safety (fire insulation).

References:

Altındaş, S., 2014. "Fire Formation and Spread in Facades." 7th National Roof & Facade Symposium 3–4 April 2014 Yıldız Technical University Beşiktaş – Istanbul. Kanan, N., Beyhan, F., 2013. "Fire Safety of Double-Layer Facade Systems in Energy-Efficient Buildings." 11th National Plumbing Engineering Congress – 17/20 April, Izmir. Seher Ersoy Architect Technical Training Specialist Eryap A.Ş.