Today’s fire resistant glass can do so much more than provide integrity for a given time in a fire. Profiled here are a number of applications using Pilkington products which can resist heat and gas as well as provide
a visually appealing building material.
Phoenix House in Dublin is the new headquarters of the Courts Service of Ireland, accommodating both public and private offices belonging to the service. Overlooking the central square of the newly developed Smithfield district of the city, the six-storey building was designed by local architects, Brian O’Halloran and Associates, and makes stunning use of fire resistant glass.
In the atrium of Phoenix House, a full height glazed screen was specified with specialist glass from Pilkington, supplied and installed by Glas-Seal, one of Pilkington’s stockists.
Housed in a timber frame, Pyrodur glass, which was specified for the project, is part of the a range of fire resistant products. It is a clear, multi laminate product comprising layers of glass laminated with intumescent material. For this application, the glass is 10mm thick, with one intumescent layer and one ultra violet protection interlayer, allowing the screen to offer 30 minutes’ fire integrity and insulation, and forming an effective barrier against the effects of heat, hot gas and flames
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The concrete framed Phoenix House occupies over 9000m2 of the Smithfield development and was constructed in nine-months. The interior of the building mirrors the elegance of the exterior, with the glazed screen providing the required fire resistant performance, as well as a visually effective focal point within the entrance area.
Leisure time
Situated at the Parrswood Entertainment Centre in Didsbury, the Holmes Place Health Club is a modern and attractive facility, with an interior that combines the visual appeal of wood, glass and chrome.
The club has four dance studios, an extensive fitness suite, ladies gymnasium and a 25 metre ozone pool, as well as a creche, bar and club room. Interior fire doors are manufactured from timber with a number of timber screens constructed as divisions, combining functionality with decoration.
The glass in the timber frames is all Pyrodur Plus, a slimline 7.5mm fire resistant laminate glass that has been specifically formulated for use in internal fire resistant doors and partitions, offering a combination of fire and impact performance. It has a unique clear intumescent interlayer, which gives the glass excellent clarity in normal use, but turns opaque in a fire to form a barrier against flames and hot gases. It also significantly reduces the level of radiant heat transmitted from the fire to an exceptionally low level for such a thin glass.
When independently fire tested, the glass produced an integrity that was in excess of 40 minutes, a safety margin of at least 30 per cent above the minimum classification of 30 minutes. The glass offers a host of benefits including an acoustic insulation RW value of 35dB
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“The glass is thinner and is easier to process,” explains Simon Anders of glass contractors T A Anders. “Rather than having to saw it as with other glass, [it] can be simply cut, saving time in the construction process. Although it is thin, it can be fitted to internal partitions and fire doors without the performance potential being compromised.”
School project
Two schools in Stoke-on-Trent have also had the glass installed in internal fire doors and screens. The construction of the schools is part of a massive new build and refurbishment programme, called the Stoke Schools project, a multi million pound venture to improve the educational stock in the area.
The project is a joint venture between Balfour Beatty and Innisfree, in association with Stoke-on-Trent council. It has been progressed as a PFI contract and is the largest schools project of its kind so far in the UK.
The glazing, again supplied by T A Anders, has been used internally at Norton County Primary School and Burton County Primary School for the timber framed fire doors and fire screens, to provide enhanced protection and visual appeal.
The construction of these schools – and the comprehensive refurbishment of 122 others in the Stoke-on-Trent area – is being undertaken to the highest environmental, energy and safety standards.
Designer doors
Pyrodur has also been used by door manufacturer, Vicaima, in a selection of interior fire doors at a major development in Beckenham, Kent. The Langley Waterside development by Laing Homes in conjunction with Berkeley Homes, has been designed to ensure that the preservation and enhancement of the natural surrounding environment is maintained throughout the scheme, and so the specification of timber veneered doors was an important detail.
“We have been using Pilkington Pyrodur Plus since its launch,” says Andy Gordon of Vicaima. “The glass is ideal for our doors, combining high performance with aesthetic appeal.”
Although the show home is the first to be completed, the Vicaima doors are scheduled for a number of the family homes within the development, all of which are individually styled with their own character, and set within squares and tree lined boulevards.
City stoppers
Fire-resistant glass has also been installed as part of an extensive refurbishment project, undertaken by Try Construction Ltd and architects Munkenbeck and Marshall, on behalf of Leadenhall Property Limited.
Regulations required that external fire-resistant glass be installed – due to its proximity to other buildings in the area – to limit any potential fire spread from building to building.
Formerly operating as the headquarters of a trading services company, 11 Leadenhall Street in London is located next to the prominent Lloyds Shipping building and recently underwent a transformation into commercial office premises.
Pilkington supplied Insulight units incorporating 27mm Pyrostop and Suncool high performance glass to framemakers, Fendor Hansen. In order to reduce sightlines, Fendor Hansen manufactured, installed and glazed the external fixed glazing of the building fabric, so creating an aesthetic glazing system which was flush fitting to the building and enhances the overall surroundings.
A key element to the success of the installation was to combine the benefits of solar control and thermal insulation with the fire performance of 27mm Pilkington Pyrostop – providing 60 minutes Integrity and 60 minutes Insulation – which was required by the building control authority.
Pyrostop is a clear, multi-laminate glass, which forms an opaque barrier against smoke, flames and heat in the event of fire. It provides a clear functional and visually appealing alternative to solid wall construction and offers enhanced impact resistance up to Class A BS6206.
Tun’s of support
Specialist fire protection glass from Pilkington has also been used for a stunning redevelopment project in Edinburgh. The Tun, a former brewery building, has been transformed into a new mixed-use development in a high profile location, directly adjacent to the new Scottish Parliament building. The site forms part of the Holyrood North Site redevelopment carried out by Whiteburn Holyrood Limited at a cost of GB pound 7 million.
The south gable of The Tun development comprises a bold, canted glass facade, matched visually by internal glazed fire rated screens supplied and installed by Baydale Architectural, using 40 sq m of Pyrostop glass. As well as providing the required fire insulation and integrity in case of fire, a clear appearance allows it to be used as an integral feature in the overall design.
Allan Murray Architects designed the impressive building to fit in with the modernisation of the area, but it also makes reference to the traditional architecture of Edinburgh. The use of Pyrostop was an integral element in the design, creating space and light without the need for solid wall construction.
Pyrostop is manufactured as a multi laminate fire resistant glass, which both restricts the spread of flames, smoke and hot gases, and limits the temperature rise of the unexposed face to below specified levels. It is ideal for use in high traffic buildings such as The Tun, where the safety of occupants and visitors is a key consideration. The screen is designed to contain a fire with time for a safe evacuation of all personnel if required. In addition, because it allows up to 120 minutes resistance against fire and heat transfer, damage to property can be minimised.
The Tun’s tenants include BBC Scotland, the European Parliament, the British Council, Scottish Enterprise and the Commission for Racial Equality. In addition, this 40,000 square feet regeneration project will also house a variety of shops, bars and a stunning rooftop restaurant.
“The best features of the original winning submission have all been retained and it will be a great success and an asset for the city,” commented John C Hope, master planner for the Holyrood North Site. The Scotsman newspaper has already declared the development to be a “masterpiece”.
