A rapid and precisely executed two-week retrofit contract has brought the fire compartmentation within the complex roof-spaces to a Nottinghamshire health centre up to current standards under the Building Regulations, with the work being carried out by a Midlands based contractor, highly experienced in the installation of the FIREFLY® systems specified.
The Meadow Heath Health Centre in the south-east area of the city has been undergoing alterations to allow two existing SP practices to merge, both coming under the direction of the Nottingham City Clinical Commissioning Group.Coventry based KRASI Fire Protection Limited, which works right across the country, was awarded the work based on its long experience and past projects undertaken in the East Midlands area.Due to the age of the building, which had undergone previous alterations, with the fire regulations also being revised, meaning the fire-stopping measures within the centre’s extensive roof-space no longer offered compliance.
Following a careful inspection and consultation with FIREFLY® Technical Manager, Chris Boam, KRASI put forward a design solution, which featured the installation of the manufacturer’s Zeus Vertical and Horizontal fire barriers in combination with the recently introduced FB 180 batts which were required to create a number of ‘protected zones’ in accordance with Approved Document B.
The Contracts Manager for KRASI Fire Protection, Daniel Oldacre, commented: “Some issues with the original installation and subsequent damage meant the compartmentation required significant improvement and we made use of the FB180 Batt system to ensure that any fire cannot break through and cause “burn-over”. Our four-man team installed some 50m2 of Zeus vertical barrier and a further 100m2 of horizontal protection in alignment with the walls, giving 90 minutes integrity and 30 minutes insulation.The carefully designed installations, including a variety of project specific details, made use of Zeus Lite 90:30 and other FIREFLY® barrier materials, together with the FB180 batts mechanically fixed to form the protected zone extending to 1500mm either side of the wall. The batts are mechanically fixed in place and sealed with the intumescent mastic and the ablative coating which is brush applied.”
“It was a technically complex job, if not nearly as large as others we have carried out in Nottingham such as the 72 bed Lings Bar Hospital, which ran for some four months.The work went quite smoothly and the whole job is certified under our FIRAS scheme accreditation.”
Also employed on the contract were a number of FIREFLY® FR120 Access Hatches, providing compliant access to the newly upgraded roof-space compartments.
The project also highlights the versatility of FIREFLY®’s FB180 Ablative Batt, which continues to play a key role across a growing number of passive fire protection applications. Initially developed for use in wall constructions and protected zones, the same system has now been successfully adapted for use within floor assemblies, offering extended fire resistance and acoustic performance where compartmentation upgrades are required between levels.
Tested in accordance with BS EN 1363-1:2022 and BS EN 1364-2, the FB180 Ablative Batt delivers up to 90 minutes integrity and 60 minutes insulation, while also providing measurable sound reduction benefits. The system can be friction-fitted between timber joists or installed horizontally in conjunction with other FIREFLY® barriers such as Apollo Lite™, using complementary ancillary products including Acrylic Sealant, FIREFLY® Fixings, and Penowrap — to form a fully integrated solution.
As with all FIREFLY® systems, detailed installation guidance and project-specific support are available through the company’s Technical Advisory Service, ensuring compliant design and installation across a wide range of compartmentation scenarios.
Manufactured from woven and non-woven glass, the FIREFLY® range of flexible barriers is designed to optimise resistance to flame and smoke, as well as offer heat protection in a wide range of scenarios.The barriers are easy to install horizontally or vertically using a full selection of FIREFLY® ancillary products in order to create a fully tested and certified system.
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