Page 14 - UL_Report On_Part 1

09 IITGN-UL/Façade
1. Inception, motivation and requirement
Glass façade are used very commonly in modern construction. In addition
Part I to being aesthetically pleasing, they enable better energy management of
buildings and hence, have become an integral part of green building
ABOUT design. Almost all modern commercial buildings utilize a façade system
either entirely based on glass or a combination of glass and other
THE FACILITY materials. For acceptable performance, such systems must be constructed
with appropriately rated materials following good installation practices.
10 IITGN-UL/Façade
Such glass façade systems are typically called curtain walls and are
connected to the main structural frame of the building through
aluminium-based frames of their own. A gap is always provided
between the curtain wall and the deck slab of the building to avoid
crashing of glass in case of unwanted vibrations arising from passing of
heavy vehicles and/or minor earthquakes and also to mitigate effects of
thermal expansion. This gap is filled with appropriate fire stop material.
While glass façade systems offer excellent energy management
advantages, they can easily become vehicles for movement of fire along
the building. In India all the fire accidents in glass cladded buildings have
two commonalities – very high response time to overcome the flames
and the relative unpreparedness of both the occupants and the
fire-authorities to deal with escape routes and save lives.
A number of past fire incidents in buildings indicate the risks associated
with using façade system. The spate of fires in these structures are
continuing and taking toll on life and property. The recent fire in Noida
is an eye opener to the issues faced on façade buildings.
The Mumbai Diamond Square building did not have any fire-detection
system to warn its occupants. The fire at IndusInd Bank regrettably resulted
in loss of four precious lives. Recent fires in a textile showroom at Chennai
(where the entire building is now being demolished) and in the Grenfell
tower at London (where a small room fire caused the entire building to burn)
has clearly demonstrated the enhanced risks of fire propagation in buildings
with a façade and also the potential for such fires to cause irreparable
damage to the main structural system.
The increasing use of glass and aluminum as a building material for
commercial and residential towers and the spate of fire-incidents in recent
past has generated critical media coverage and placed spotlight on adequate
fire-safety pre-requisites and norms in such constructions.