AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE RELEVANCE OF THE CONTRIBUTION TO TOXICITY OF DIFFERENT CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS IN A FURNISHED ROOM FIRE

摘要

There is a trend to low energy buildings triggered by tighter energy regulations across the globe. In most cases, this translates into the use of increased insulation layer thicknesses in buildings. The use of high performance insulation products increases with these demands, in order to allow for more efficient building design and increased floor-area. Current research suggests that fires could develop differently in these modern buildings caused by factors including triple glazing and air tightness. It is also emphasised by some that the increased use of organic insulation products generate larger volumes of toxic combustion gases. This paper presents and evaluates two fire tests conducted in a furnished domestic room only differing in the type of the used wall insulation product to assess its relative contribution to the fire compared to the room content. The test results with regard to heat release rates, smoke and toxic gas emissions show that the organic polyisocyanurate insulation and the mineral fibre insulation behave similarly during the fire and the main threat for occupants emanates from the room contents.