The SAFETI programme conducted by the CERIB Fire Testing Centre aims to fine-tune recommendations for optimizing the fire safety of mass-timber buildings. Built by Nature has granted a subsidy for the project which involves a panel of technical experts, academics and manufacturers, including the I2M research institute of the University of Bordeaux, structural framing company Cruard Charpente, and representatives of the fire-protection industry (fire-safety experts with the French fire-protection association, GTFI).

Fabienne Robert, Deputy Director of the Fire Testing Centre which runs the SAFETI project, lists the questions to which the project must find answers: how much timber can be left exposed and still restrict the spread of flames? How must a structure be designed to ensure fire resistance? What conditions must be met to maintain the load-bearing capacity of a multi-storey building the time it takes for occupants to evacuate and fire services to arrive? What is the effect of active fire-suppression measures such as sprinklers?

Article published in French weekly construction-industry journal Le Moniteur on 13 December, 2024.