In the context of recent lockdowns, personal outdoor space has never been more desirable. A survey conducted by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) demonstrated how our pandemic sensibilities will continue to drive what we want from our homes, with 81% of its property professional members stating that they believe there will be an ongoing spike in demand for homes with gardens or balconies[1].
With many buyers and renters willing to pay more for properties with these spaces, we are likely to see more balconies on planning documents in the future. As a connected part of the building structure — and one which intersects the wall cavity — it is vital that we consider the fire safety of balcony systems from the outset. However, it is not just their external construction which needs to be considered.
The issue
Balconies are considered to be part of the external wall structure and are therefore covered by Requirement B4: External fire spread within the Building Regulations for fire safety (Approved Document B Volume 1 2019)[2]. As of December 2018, this demands that external walls of relevant buildings — notably residential buildings over 18m — can only be constructed using non-combustible materials (those that achieve a European Class A1 or A2-s1, d0 in accordance with BS EN 13501-1:2018).
However, this does not take into consideration the impact the addition of a balcony can have on the passive fire protection requirements within the wall cavity. Adam Pressland, Owner of Blue Chyp — a balcony system specialist who predominately works on high-rise residential developments — explains the challenges from a practical point of view:
“The thick steel brackets which are used to connect and support a projecting balcony typically take up the entire space of the floor slab. This means that, if there is a fire within the cavity, the brackets will inevitably heat up, potentially causing structural failure or objects on the balcony to combust. There have historically been two approaches to preventing this. Either enclose the I-shaped bracket with non-combustible insulation held in with mesh or cavity barriers cut onsite, which could still cause the bracket to heat up. Or install cavity barriers underneath the bracket. Here, as you are stepping off the compartment line, you need to be sure that the inner leaf has a suitable fire resistance to allow the cavity barrier to be installed onto it and still maintain the compartmentation — a problem on steel framed buildings. Both of these solutions have to be employed on a project-by-project basis, rely on installer competency, and are unlikely to be tested constructions.”
The manufacturer solution
To resolve these issues, a replicable and tested solution for enclosing and protecting balcony brackets has been developed and is now available on the market. These are typically provided as a kit of pre-cut, interlocking sections manufactured from non-combustible insulation which are sized to fit around the specific dimensions of a project’s balcony brackets. Cavity barriers or firestops can then simply be abutted to it at either side, ensuring effective and continuous cavity compartmentation.
In contrast to previous ad-hoc solutions fashioned on site with variable workmanship and lacking in qualitative fire testing data, these dedicated balcony bracket solutions provide a simple and quick-to-install solution to what was previously a complex detail. These kits can be fully tested as a standard solution — offering a clear, reliable indication of their fire resistance performance (integrity and insulation). It is of course vital to install them as per any manufacturer recommendations, taking into consideration minimum clearances.
Standing out with safety
As a part of the external structure, it is vital that balconies are installed in a way that does not compromise on fire performance. Working with competent installers who have access to the latest passive fire protection systems can help to ensure the creation of safe outdoor spaces which add real value to both assets and occupant lives and sense of wellbeing.
[1] RICS (June 2020) ‘New buyers looking for outside areas as interest in new homes revives‘: https://www.rics.org/uk/news-insight/latest-news/press/press-releases/new-buyers-looking-for-outside-areas-and-green-spaces-as-interest-in-new-homes-revives/
[2] MHCLG (January 2020) Building safety advice for building owners, including fire doors: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-safety-advice-for-building-owners-including-fire-doors
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