The EU’s decision to urge member states to consider fire safety in new buildings and those being renovated sends a strong signal that energy efficiency must not come at the cost of fire safety.The revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), which was adopted by the European Parliament on April 17, contains two articles addressing fire safety.
The changes to the directive come after increased concerns regarding fire safety led the European Parliament Committees for Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) and Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) to include fire safety in the text.
The amended directive has been broadly welcomed by Fire Safe Europe (FSEU), a European organisation of fire experts, firefighters, associations and international companies, which had been lobbying for fire safety planning to be taken into account in building renovations to improve fire safety.
Juliette Albiac, FSEU managing director, said: “The revised proposal is an opportunity for national regulators to work on increasing fire safety in buildings.
“Energy efficient buildings must be fire safe: when improving a building’s energy performance, fire safety has to be taken into account, not weakened.”
The EU Parliament report says that Member States should encourage high-efficiency alternative systems for new buildings and those undergoing major renovations, while also addressing the issues of healthy indoor climate conditions, fire safety and risks related to intense seismic activity.
The London Grenfell Tower fire last June is thought to have influenced the fire safety additions to the revision of the EPBD.
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