Architects: Real-Life Superheroes
Fire – A word that strikes fear in the bravest hearts! As children, we nonchalantly played the game ‘Fire on the Mountain Run, Run, Run!’... But in our crowded, vertically towering cities, fire is no game… and how and where does one run in case of an unfortunate fire in a high-rise building? Here’s where the wisdom of the age-old adage "Prevention is better than Cure", becomes pivotal for every decision in the construction world.
Talking of decision-making, there is a group of unsung superheroes who silently and meticulously work behind the scenes, ensuring our safety and security. They eat, breathe and sleep safely, because their decisions literally make the difference between life and death; and the protection, or destruction of hard-earned property. Their safety consciousness is seen right from the word ‘go’, starting with Hazard Control measures at the construction site; Planning for efficient Lightning Protection Systems; Integrating Fire Safety into building design; Ensuring Material Specifications that incorporate high-quality, rated, insulation to prevent fire hazards, as well as secure the life of buildings and their occupants.
These real-life superheroes are the Architects whose painstaking efforts ensure our safety in offices, factories, homes, holiday resorts, malls, restaurants, theatres, stadiums, educational institutions, places of worship, and the list goes on… Their decisions can make or break life and property at every step of the way; every second of the day! Such is the immensity of power in the decisions Architects make. With this great power, comes great responsibility. By consciously striving for safety, Architects are truly the unsung real-life superheroes, responsibly keeping safe millions of lives across the world.
Speaking of safety, fire is one of the greatest threats, especially in high-rise buildings, compelling every possible preventive measure. Fire protection systems like Fire hydrants/sprinklers, Fire escape routes with directional signs, Warning System, Firefighting equipment, and Fire Detector System are visible measures of fire protection; but studies have also put the spotlight on fire-resistant building material, that has significantly reduced the number and intensity of disasters. With this in mind, at Eurobond, fire safety is a concern that has been amply addressed in all the cladding material we offer, as summarised below:
These ACPs incorporate the best-in-class materials with a minimum 90% mineral core sandwiched between two aluminium skins of alloy 3003/5005 with Kynar 500 PVDF/FEVE lacquered surfaces on the front, and service coated on the rear. The FR mineral core is made of special grade MDH and ATH compounds which are the most reliable Halogen-Free (HF) compounds. Upon forced burning, they emit non-toxic harmless vapor; exhibit the best flame self-extinguishing properties; and are active smoke suppressants, thus greatly helping in containing the spread of fire. Our A2 ACPs have been tested and certified by Exova Warringtonfire, UK Laboratories, China, and have a confirmed rating of EN 13501-1 as Class A2 - s1 d0, thus satisfying almost all the building and construction codes worldwide, including application in fields such as railways, transportation, wind energy, defence, etc.
These incorporate new generation Mineral Core Filling, which contains 70% advanced mineral compounds, for excellently and economically restraining flammability of minor polymeric content, thus restricting flame propagation and smoke generation in case of a fire. It comprises of two Aluminium skins (Alloy 3003/5005), front skin coated with an advanced PVDF/FEVE coating system, and a rear with a wash coat to provide longevity to the panel. The PVDF/FEVE coated front skin provides excellent colour retention, gloss retention, UV stability, weathering resistance, and pollution resistance – for more than a decade with negligible periodic maintenance. Tested and certified by Exova Warringtonfire, UK, these ACPs have a confirmed rating of EN 13501-1 as Class B - s1 d0. They also have a 3 Hour Fire rating for ASTM E 119 and have been tested by Thomas Bell Wright, Dubai.
Eurocore has a non-combustible Pure Aluminium Core, with A2 class fire retarding properties, offering the best strength-to-weight ratio among the three classes, making it ideal for high-rise buildings and constructions.
Eurocore has many Technical Advantages:
- Relieves the load on buildings being Lightest in Weight, yet Highest in Strength
- Fire Retardant (Non- Combustible)
- Formable and construction-friendly
- Wind Pressure Resistance
- Satisfies Stringent Building Codes
- Least Cost of Installation
- Completely Recyclable making it Eco-friendly.
Eurocomb is a sandwich panel with a nature-inspired hexagonal honeycomb structure as its core, making it lightweight compared to other materials of the same volume; and simultaneously enhancing stiffness and stability. Built on the principles of safety and environment-friendliness, Eurocomb’s incorporate fire-retardant properties and are AA3003 fully recyclable. Added advantages are their superior flatness, exceptional stiffness, and sound insulation. Our PVDF coating makes Eurocomb weatherproof, UV-resistant, waterproof, and dust-proof. Eurocomb comes with a 15-year warranty – an affirmation of our quality control procedures that test our panels with advanced equipment.
In this imperfect world, there will always be superheroes and villains, and Architects too have the option to decide on which side of the divide they want to be. The unscrupulous ones make unprincipled decisions and the unfortunate results are there for all to see! Thankfully the vast majority of Architects are truly superheroes who do everything in their power to build safe buildings because there are literally millions of lives riding on the decisions they make.
The importance of choosing safe cladding material can never be over-emphasized, considering their pivotal role in preventing fire-related disasters, and also in ensuring the life and safety of buildings – and consequently people too. We at Eurobond are committed to innovations that constantly focus on safety in cladding material, to help Superhero Architects in their quest to build a safer world – one building at a time!
