Fire Safety of Steel Envelope Systems with Bio-Based Insulation: Evaluation of Smoldering Phenomenon

The use of innovative insulating materials can contribute to an energy-efficient design by improving the thermal performance of building envelopes while also reducing the embodied energy of materials. Ultra-low carbon steel envelope solutions with bio-based insulations are aligned with this approach...

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Main Authors: Arritokieta Eizaguirre-Iribar, Xabier Olano-Azkune, Thibault Renaux, Valérie Huet, David Izabel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Fire
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/8/4/131
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author Arritokieta Eizaguirre-Iribar
Xabier Olano-Azkune
Thibault Renaux
Valérie Huet
David Izabel
author_facet Arritokieta Eizaguirre-Iribar
Xabier Olano-Azkune
Thibault Renaux
Valérie Huet
David Izabel
author_sort Arritokieta Eizaguirre-Iribar
collection DOAJ
description The use of innovative insulating materials can contribute to an energy-efficient design by improving the thermal performance of building envelopes while also reducing the embodied energy of materials. Ultra-low carbon steel envelope solutions with bio-based insulations are aligned with this approach. However, fire safety aspects in general and smoldering issues in particular need to be considered when using bio-based insulations. Accordingly, this paper proposes a system-level assessment of the fire performance of steel envelopes with bio-based insulations, not only identifying potential smoldering issues of the core material but also defining and evaluating strategies that could address these concerns within the system design. For this purpose, the variables that could affect the fire performance of wood fiber insulation sandwich panels were identified while considering the different stages of the smoldering phenomena, such as the influence of the joint design or mounting provisions for the initiation, the existence of air cavities, oxygen entrances or physically continuous materials with a tendency to smolder for the continuation, or the inclusion of limiting elements or mitigation layers for spread limitation. Finally, strategies for fire-safe enclosures using bio-based insulations are proposed, assuming smoldering affections in wood-derived materials and analyzing possible mitigation elements at the system level.
format Article
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issn 2571-6255
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher MDPI AG
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series Fire
spelling doaj-art-ed6465d6a6af4c55bfca99b980e7755b2025-08-20T02:17:20ZengMDPI AGFire2571-62552025-03-018413110.3390/fire8040131Fire Safety of Steel Envelope Systems with Bio-Based Insulation: Evaluation of Smoldering PhenomenonArritokieta Eizaguirre-Iribar0Xabier Olano-Azkune1Thibault Renaux2Valérie Huet3David Izabel4TECNALIA, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 20730 Azpeitia, SpainTECNALIA, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 20730 Azpeitia, SpainJoris Ide Group, 8750 Zwevezele, BelgiumMonopanel SAS, 02301 Chauny, FranceL’Enveloppe Métallique du Bâtiment, 75116 Paris, FranceThe use of innovative insulating materials can contribute to an energy-efficient design by improving the thermal performance of building envelopes while also reducing the embodied energy of materials. Ultra-low carbon steel envelope solutions with bio-based insulations are aligned with this approach. However, fire safety aspects in general and smoldering issues in particular need to be considered when using bio-based insulations. Accordingly, this paper proposes a system-level assessment of the fire performance of steel envelopes with bio-based insulations, not only identifying potential smoldering issues of the core material but also defining and evaluating strategies that could address these concerns within the system design. For this purpose, the variables that could affect the fire performance of wood fiber insulation sandwich panels were identified while considering the different stages of the smoldering phenomena, such as the influence of the joint design or mounting provisions for the initiation, the existence of air cavities, oxygen entrances or physically continuous materials with a tendency to smolder for the continuation, or the inclusion of limiting elements or mitigation layers for spread limitation. Finally, strategies for fire-safe enclosures using bio-based insulations are proposed, assuming smoldering affections in wood-derived materials and analyzing possible mitigation elements at the system level.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/8/4/131sustainable construction materialsfire performancesandwich panelsfaçadeswood fiber insulation
spellingShingle Arritokieta Eizaguirre-Iribar
Xabier Olano-Azkune
Thibault Renaux
Valérie Huet
David Izabel
Fire Safety of Steel Envelope Systems with Bio-Based Insulation: Evaluation of Smoldering Phenomenon
Fire
sustainable construction materials
fire performance
sandwich panels
façades
wood fiber insulation
title Fire Safety of Steel Envelope Systems with Bio-Based Insulation: Evaluation of Smoldering Phenomenon
title_full Fire Safety of Steel Envelope Systems with Bio-Based Insulation: Evaluation of Smoldering Phenomenon
title_fullStr Fire Safety of Steel Envelope Systems with Bio-Based Insulation: Evaluation of Smoldering Phenomenon
title_full_unstemmed Fire Safety of Steel Envelope Systems with Bio-Based Insulation: Evaluation of Smoldering Phenomenon
title_short Fire Safety of Steel Envelope Systems with Bio-Based Insulation: Evaluation of Smoldering Phenomenon
title_sort fire safety of steel envelope systems with bio based insulation evaluation of smoldering phenomenon
topic sustainable construction materials
fire performance
sandwich panels
façades
wood fiber insulation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/8/4/131
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AT thibaultrenaux firesafetyofsteelenvelopesystemswithbiobasedinsulationevaluationofsmolderingphenomenon
AT valeriehuet firesafetyofsteelenvelopesystemswithbiobasedinsulationevaluationofsmolderingphenomenon
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