Marta Vall-llossera Ferran, president of the Superior Council of Colleges of Architects of Spain (CSCAE), the highest representative of Spanish architects, highlights that “only a precise and rigorous diagnosis” will be able to clarify the raging fire in València.

What can explain the rapid spread of the fire?

Although the investigation will have to determine it, it seems that one of the aggravating factors was the speed of the wind.

The building was erected before the entry into force of the new technical building code of 2006. Shouldn’t buildings built later meet the new requirements?

In 2006, the first building code was published, a mandatory regulation that includes the need to ensure a class of reaction to fire of the materials contained in the construction systems. However, previously, as a result of incidents such as those at the Alcalá 20 nightclubs (1983) or Flying de Zaragoza (1990), there was the 1996 regulation on fire protection conditions that served as the basis for the 2006 technical code. Therefore, although the 2006 technical building code was not in force, there were mandatory fire protection regulations.

What materials were used in the coating?

Today, there are many conjectures. First, a specific material was identified as responsible for the fire due to its technical characteristics. Then another was pointed out. Per se, a specific reaction to fire cannot be attributed to a single material. We must talk about construction systems made up of several layers.

This coating of various layers, with a ventilation chamber, is complex.

In construction, normally, one must refer to sums of materials and provisions. That is, they are complex construction elements. The important thing, always, is to have the material sheets, its characteristics and, in any case, the tests that confirm that the construction element has a certain reaction to fire and that it is verified that it complies with the regulations, as well as knowing the expiration date. of the trials. Therefore, caution. Being general, the systems can be classified as: conventional brick or composite block façade, glass façade or curtain wall, ventilated façade, façade with well-adhered or direct mechanical coating. That is, apart from the material, the construction system also comes into play. Other factors against fire to consider outdoors are the shape, the angles of the facades, the joints of the slab with the facade and the vertical and horizontal sectorization. Multiple factors must be managed to guarantee fire safety.

Is it common to use polyethylene to give rigidity to the aluminum used in the skin of the building? The use of plastic materials may be surprising.

The revision of the technical building code, from December 2019, clearly specifies that the façade material must have certain fire resistance conditions and reduces the risks that a case similar to what happened in Valencia could be repeated.

Plastic materials are apparently combustible…

Only a precise and rigorous diagnosis will determine the causes and shed light on what happened.

Have they passed quality controls and ignition tests?

According to the information known, the basic and execution project with which the license was obtained must have included the justification of the fire regulations that were in force at the time.

What precedent for this type of events would you highlight?

The Grenfell Tower fire in London has been referenced both for the shape of the air chamber, the chimney effect, and for the materials used. However, until a rigorous investigation is carried out, it cannot be concluded that there were similarities in the fire.

Will there be a need to review any type of building?

It is very likely, due to the unfortunate and sad events that have occurred, and always depending on the results that are finally obtained, that regulations will be tightened in favor of increasing citizen safety in buildings. Tragedies such as that of Alcalá 20 and the Zaragoza nightclub promoted the fire protection conditions of 1991, which then improved those of 1996. Without a doubt, the Grenfell Tower fire influenced an improvement in European regulations and, therefore , in the technical building code of 2006.

Should standards improve?

Gradually, revisions have been made to the standard in order to improve fire safety. From the fire protection conditions to the last revision of the technical code, which came into force in 2020 (specifically, the basic fire safety document), this regulation has been improving and its versions have been updated. to guarantee citizen safety, which is a maxim for the building sector.

Any advice…?

If any citizen has doubts regarding the material their building is made of, they should contact a competent technician.