The majority of builders and owners of buildings see the FR Plywood (Fire Resistant and Fire-Retardant) as an essential resource to use when constructing modern buildings and structures; they do not view it as an extra option to use. The construction industry is going through a major change in the way that builders, architects, and developers are utilising the IBC (International Building Code) as the primary resource to comply with to ensure that the people who live in a building are safe.
Integration with Structural Planning
High-rise buildings and high-occupancy buildings are now utilising FR Plywood for their structural planning purposes to minimise the vertical spread of fire. When builders also include FR-grade interior panels, false ceiling systems, and heavy-duty joinery in the projects they are working on, they create an internal structure that supports the occupants of a building and provides an exit path for them to evacuate the building safely.
Differentiating Products in the Market (Safe Design)
Builders who use high-performance, certified FR products specifically referenced to an internationally accepted product standard (i.e., IS: 5509) are able to create their projects as “Safe Design” buildings and provide builders with a much higher safety classification. This creates a great deal of market acceptance, as today’s homebuyers, to an even greater extent than before, are now well-educated on this issue and prefer to purchase homes that have fire-protection technology built into the building rather than retrofitted after the fact.
Standardising Safety in High-Risk Zones
FR plywood is being used by builders as a standard material in high-risk areas to ensure that damage does not occur to critical structural elements in the following areas:
- Corridors and Lobbies: to maintain their egress path so that there are no obstructions when evacuating a building in case of an emergency.
- Service Areas: In the rooms that contain complex electrical infrastructure (i.e., Server Rooms, Transformer Rooms, Electrical Distribution Panels, etc.).
- Community Spaces: to provide safe & to use high-traffic areas like custom furniture in clubhouses, libraries, and indoor play areas.
Moving Toward “All-in-One” Systems
The professionals of the building industry are continuing to move to a much more efficient, holistic approach to providing solutions. Builders are now using “all-in-one” high-performance complete material systems, where they are not using multiple layers of material (i.e., for fire-resistance, moisture protection, and pest barriers), to create an economical building. Builders must use premium collections e.g Royale Touche Plywood to provide structural integrity, pest barrier protection, and fireproofing with a single installation. This will reduce the on-site labour and material complexity,making the finished product functional as well as durable for the customer.
Final Thoughts
Builders are now maturing the construction industry with the use of FR plywood by incorporating passive life-safety measures into the design of a building and providing the builder with long-term value. Ultimately, ly the desirable quality associated with a modern residence will be the extent of safety technology included in the walls of that home.
