The FPA is honoured to have been shortlisted as a finalist at the Tall Building Awards 2024 for its RISC 501: Fire Test and Assessment Method for External Cladding Systems.
Launched in November 2023, the FPA’s free-to-download test method, RISC 501, seeks to address the limitations of current test methods and routes for compliance in the UK for the external cladding systems of high-rise buildings. The RISC 501 test method differs from traditional assessment standards to offer stricter construction criteria, stricter temperature criteria, the introduction of mechanical performance criteria, the introduction of gas sampling criteria, the introduction of material fingerprinting, and improved transparency of test results.
Thus, RISC 501 is not just a method appropriate for the minimum life safety requirement but also property protection.
The project has been developed at the FPA through RISCAuthority, an annually funded research scheme that conducts research on behalf of the insurance sector.
A finalist in the Best Tall Building Façade & Fenestration Engineering Project category, the award recognises façades that offer “extraordinary tall building technical solutions”. The category also seeks to identify those projects that overcome building challenges to meet sector-specific needs, achieving both sustainability and energy efficiency, as well as offer new engineering solutions that demonstrate advanced design and technology concepts.
Sponsored by Kuraray, other finalists in this category include K Systems for Devonshire Mansions; Reynaers Aluminium UK for Media City X3, Manchester; Schueco International for Hale Works; and WSP for Damac Tower.
Previous winners of the Best Tall Building Façade & Fenestration Engineering Project award include Hodder+Partners for Duncan House Stratford (2020) and Reynaers Aluminium for Hadrian’s Tower (2022).
Other award categories at the Tall Building Awards 2024 include the likes of Best Mixed-Use or Commercial Tall Building Project, Best Residential Tall Building Project, Best Tall Building Architect, Best Tall Building Client, Best Sustainable Tall Building Award, amongst others.
Taking place on Tuesday 25 June at St Pauls, London, the awards ceremony will immediately follow the annual Tall Buildings Conference.
More details about the Tall Building Awards 2024 can be found here.
With the RISC 501 method also in the running for the Fire Safety Project of the Year award at this year’s Fire and Security Matters Awards, George Edwardes, FPA Technical Director said: “It’s wonderful to see the FPA’s research project being recognised on an industry scale. The FPA is continuously seeking ways to improve building resilience, and we actively welcome collaboration for future research.”