Sandwich panels insulation system from Thermomass help create fire resistant dwellings

The recent heat waves and fires once again underline the importance of prudent insulation and smart building practices to comfort and safety during periods of environmental extremes.

The Thermomass concrete sandwich panel insulation system provides the best of both worlds, by ensuring comfort with a superior thermal envelope performance while greatly reducing the cooling costs during periods of extreme heat so that occupants can weather the hot spell without breaking a sweat.

While comfort is an essential consideration, especially in extreme fire conditions, the Thermomass insulation system offers something far more important - the protection of livelihoods and properties in the event of fire. 

Taking advantage of the non-combustible nature of concrete, the Thermomass concrete sandwich panel system displays extraordinary fire resistance in the event of a blaze.

In 1998, a large fire broke out at a tilt-up facility in Wisconsin, USA. The facility was made of the original wooden framed warehouse, which had been later extended using the Thermomass precast panel system. In the aftermath of the fire, inspectors noted that while the wooden building had been ‘completely destroyed’, the tilt-up portion of the facilities ‘maintained structural and insulative integrity’.  

Spalling occurred only where the wooden beams were directly adjoining the precast panels; while swelling slightly, the Thermomass insulation remained intact and displayed no decrease in R-value performance. Apart from aesthetic smoke damage to the panel surface, the only other damage to note was where caulk joints were directly exposed to fire, and which could be rectified with a quick and inexpensive repair. 

In another instance that proves Thermomass’ fire resistance, a fire at a large cold-store facility in the USA destroyed the lightweight portion of the facility while the Thermomass panels were left relatively unscathed and completely functional. 

For those conceptualising projects in a fire prone area, or simply looking to provide the most comfortable living experience for the building’s future occupant, the Thermomass concrete sandwich panel insulation system is recommended as a smart building practice.

The Thermomass concrete sandwich panel insulation system is available in Australia from Composite Global Solutions .