Fire prevention principles

Active fire protection

Active fire protection requires human action or automatic activation: detection and alarm systems (smoke, heat, gas), extinguishing installations (sprinklers, hydrants, inert gases), smoke and heat exhaust ventilation systems (SHEVS).

Passive and active protection complement each other: active systems intervene in the ignition phase, while passive protection guarantees structural performance and compartmentation even when the active installations fail or prove insufficient.

Escape routes and compartmentation

Fire compartmentation divides the building into self-contained volumes bounded by elements with certified fire resistance, so as to confine the fire and safeguard the escape routes. Escape routes (corridors, stairs, smoke-proof lobbies) must:

• Be protected with A1/A2 reaction-to-fire linings and separated by EI 30–120 fire-resisting construction.
• Be wide enough for the occupant load (a 0.60 m module per 50 occupants under D.M. 3/08/2015, chapter S.4).
• Be kept clear and signposted with emergency lighting.

Fire safety management

Fire safety does not end with the design: it requires planned maintenance, staff training, emergency plans, periodic drills, functional checks of the active installations and safekeeping of the technical documentation (classification reports, technical files, declarations of correct installation).

For every Global Building solution we provide the complete technical documentation (technical data sheets, application data sheets, classification reports and EXAPs) needed to compile the building's fire safety file and manage the periodic checks.

The role of passive protection

In a well-designed building, passive protection is the foundation: silent, continuous, dependent on no power supply or complex maintenance. It works around the clock, up to the certified rating of the element (30, 60, 90, 120, 240 minutes). Everything we build together with designers and contractors starts here.