Together with BBN (Brandveilig Bouwen Nederland), a Dutch expert association aiming to improve the fire safety of buildings, Rf-Technologies published a white paper that takes a closer look at the new requirements with regard to the prevention of smoke spread and the consequences for ventilation and fire dampers in particular. The mentioned requirements are applicable for The Netherlands, but the content may be relevant for other markets as well.

As of July 1, 2021, new, stricter requirements will apply with regard to the prevention of smoke spread. For new buildings, in addition to the compartmentation (WBDBO – Weerstand tegen BrandDoorslag en BrandOverslag)* requirements, maximum smoke leakage requirements – Ra or R200 – will be applied to partitions. To comply with the WRD (Weerstand Tegen RookDoorgang)** regulations, each component must be tested for smoke leakage according to the methods specified in the NEN 6075:2020 standard.

This also applies to the ventilation system and its components: when an air duct passes through fire and/or fire smoke-resistant separation, the installed fire dampers have to meet the new applicable requirements. The Buildings Environment Decree (Bbl), the successor to the Buildings Decree 2012, determines on the basis of application tables the fire resistance and maximum smoke leakage requirements of each separation in relation to the use function of the building, and this for existing buildings, for renovation and for new construction.

This white paper takes a closer look at these requirements and indicates which fire dampers must be used to meet the compartmentation and WRD requirements.

* WBDBO stands for Resistance to Fire Breakthrough and Fire Transfer between two spaces; the shortest time a fire needs to spread from one room to another (NEN 6088)
** WRD as referred to in NEN 6075 – this standard provides the method for determining the resistance to smoke passage between rooms

© BBN.nu (Brandveilig Bouwen Nederland) / Rf-Technologies –