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This report presents proposals for defining means of regulating the use of combustible materials and products in external walls. Required protections are based on the quantities of fire loads and their contribution to fire development. The study is based on life safety and protection of property priorities taking into account reaction to fire classes related to different types of fire loads and fire compartmentation requirements of the adjacent spaces of concern. The proposals include the following main principles in relation to fire-separation requirements: In case of internal fire exposure the protective structure for combustible building parts needs to meet at least half of the fire-separating requirement for the compartment of concern. In case of external fire exposure the protection time requirement can be 15 minutes less than for the internal protection. The proposals are applicable for residential buildings and offices. In case of buildings with longer evacuation times more stringent requirement levels may be considered. For verification of protection performance of fire loads it is proposed to use existing standardized test methods (fire protection ability (K classes) and fire-separating function (EI classes) validated methods of calculation and/or large scale fire testing.

Effect of EPS ETICS system on fire safety has been studied by using fire safety engineering methods for residential multi-storey buildings up to eight floors. The probabilities of fire spread to apartments above the room-of-fire-origin were assessed by calculating heat exposures and consequences caused by the external flaming both for the EPS ETICS facade and for facade made of at least A2-s1, d0 materials. Concerning consequences for life safety, the fire death probability for EPS ETICS system was found to be within tolerable limits of F-N-curve which illustrates the probability of an event and consequences in terms of number of deaths. Special concern should be paid to fire safety during installation phase when EPS is unprotected without reinforced rendering.

Fire safety aspects and requirements of wooden balconies and access balconies have been studied covering the following countries: Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Finland, France, Norway, Sweden, UK and Canada. The analysis concerned 3–8 storey apartment buildings with timber frames (and to some extent also office buildings), including the following topics: Assumptions on fire exposure, fire resistance requirements, reaction to fire requirements, possible requirements concerning protective means and use of balconies as exit routes in a fire situation.