Rise to The Challenge of New Legislation with CPVC

There are going to be some incredibly busy times ahead. Fire safety systems in UK residences will never have seen this much demand all at once. New legislation aimed at serving the residents of high-rise buildings in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy has incorporated fire sprinkler installation. There’s going to be a lot to do.

In April, the Housing Secretary announced that from November this year, all high rise residential buildings over 11 metres tall are to be fitted with fire sprinklers and wayfinding signage, by law. This will be backed up by incentives for compliance and sanctions for those who do not implement these changes. 

For Fire Engineers and Installers, this means an increased workload on every new build and  retrofit project over three metres tall, all over the UK. With demand like this, higher than ever, you need a fire safety solution that can keep up.

BlazeMaster CPVC is designed for fast installation and world leading performance in high pressure water distribution systems. The way it is installed could be the answer to rising to the challenge of the new legislation, without compromising on safety.

Manage Your Workload

In order to manage the incoming workload and control the pressure that is going to impact you and your teams in the months and years to come, think about the elements of your business that cost time and money and decide whether your materials and technology are doing enough for you. 

Materials - Do you know if the materials you’re using are the right choice for long term heat and pressure resistance? In the event of a fire, how do your pipes and fittings respond to flame and smoke? 

 ✓ BlazeMaster is the most specified non-metallic material in the world for fire sprinkler systems. Its pipe and compounds have achieved the classification Bs1s0 for its low flammability, no smoke development and no flaming droplets. This is the highest European fire classification a plastic material can achieve. 

Transportation - What impact will transportation have on an industry that is trying to cope with nationwide demand? Are your materials available locally? Can enough material for a full fitting be transported to the building site at once?

 ✓ Lengths of BlazeMaster CPVC pipe, when compared with steel, are understandably lighter. But the extra added advantage of CPVC is it’s superior resistance to corrosion, heat and pressure, allowing pipes to be manufactured at a smaller diameter. This allows for the movement of more materials at one time, requiring less transport on the road. 

Timescales - How long does a sprinkler installation on a high-rise apartment block traditionally take? What happens when that’s multiplied across towns and cities nationwide? How many three storey projects could your organisation handle at one time?

 ✓ Installation time is greatly reduced when incorporating CPVC into building designs. The cold installation process of bonding pipes and fittings using solvent cement eliminated the need for heavy machinery. This greatly reduces disruption to clients, including their residents who, in retrofit applications, can continue living safely in the next room.

Labour Costs - Can your business take on the workload of multiple simultaneous projects? Can your contracted staff cope with the rising demand? How many subcontractors should you involve?

 ✓ BlazeMaster’s CPVC installation process allows for a strong, permanent joint to be made in minutes. The elimination of heat welding tools and heavy electrical equipment, especially in high-rise buildings will greatly reduce the amount of installers needed to keep progress moving.

CPVC vs Steel; A Quick Fix?

BlazeMaster CPVC materials are developed by Lubrizol’s 60 years of CPVC excellence. It’s superior resistance to corrosion is designed for decades of fault-free water distribution. Its resistance to heat and flammability helps not only to suppress fire, but control the spread and eliminate threats to surrounding occupancies. 

While the installation process will save many installers days, sometimes weeks, CPVC is not a quick fix to a large scale challenge. BlazeMaster fire protection systems provide long term solutions to fire safety challenges in residential buildings. With the new legislation coming into effect soon, you and your teams can start getting ready for the challenge now. 

To find out more about the new legislation to building safety, read our article, A Welcome Change to UK Fire Safety. 

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