External fire spread: building separation and boundary distances (BR 187)
BRE is the UK’s leading centre of expertise on the built environment, construction, energy use in buildings, fire prevention and control, and risk management.
External fire spread: building separation and boundary distances (BR 187) was published by BRE on 16 June 2014. It was written by Richard Chitty.
The aim of calculating building separation distances is to ensure that ignition of a building adjacent to a fire is delayed sufficiently to allow the fire and rescue service to arrive and take preventative action. The 68 page guide BR 187 describes methods for calculating adequate space separation between buildings.
BR 187 was first published in 1991, when it was a two-part guide. Now in its second edition, it has been merged into one part, and substantially updated and improved:
- It has expanded sections, including flame projection from windows.
- It provides more methods of calculation and more illustrative examples.
- It updates the theoretical background.
- It presents detailed analysis of methods so users can create their own fire engineering software.
- It uses more recent experimental data.
- It defines thermal radiation and associated terminology.
- It includes the background to methods 1 and 2 of approved document B of the building regulations.
- It describes the development of boundary distance requirements in the building regulations since World War II because of its relevance to the redevelopment of sites containing existing buildings.
The contents of the guide include:
- National building regulation guidance.
- Glossary of terms, and symbols.
- Principles.
- Calculation methods.
- Case studies.
- Fire engineering approaches.
- Appendix A: Transfer of heat by thermal radiation.
- Appendix B: External flaming.
- Appendix C: Evolution of ‘simple’ methods in Approved Document B.
- References.
- Tables for calculations.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Automatic fire detection and alarm systems, an introductory guide to components and systems BR 510.
- BRE articles on Designing Buildings Wiki.
- Building boundary.
- Building Research Establishment.
- External fire spread, Supplementary guidance to BR 187 incorporating probabilistic and time-based approaches
- Fire in buildings.
- Fire and rescue service.
- Fire compartmentation.
- Fire dampers.
- Fire detection and alarm system.
- Fire performance of external thermal insulation for walls of multistorey buildings, third edition (BR 135).
- Fire protection engineering.
- Fire safety design.
- Joint fire code.
- Site of a building.
- The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
- Understanding the factors affecting flashover of a fire in modern buildings.
- Wet riser.
Featured articles and news
Not buildings. Happy holiday from DB.
Future Homes Standard: Industry calls for more ambition
As the Government FHS consultation finally closes.
Improving government projects with data and AI
Enabling better outcomes, efficient modern delivery and influential leadership on government projects.
BSRIA Living Laboratory Innovation Challenge
Final days for submission, closing March 29.
Windows, their frames, forms, factors and functions.
The hidden subtleties of U-Value calculations
Different contexts and what to include as variables.
A brief run down with related articles.
Electrical sector calls for safer public EV charge points
Serious concerns about electrical safety in the public domain.
Building Blocks manifesto presented to parliament
Architects Declare call in for support of five critical policies.
The four elements of project management with APM
Analysis, expectations, collaborative communication and partnerships.
City of London launches Heritage Building Retrofit Toolkit
Empowering owners to initiate necessary adaptations.
Guidance on RAAC in listed buildings
Published by Purcell, endorsed by IHBC, SPAB and C20.
Learning from the past.
Reluctance to hire people with criminal convictions revealed
Employing People with Criminal Convictions Report.
Tackling unconscious bias; Women's History Month
Personal reflections, as the last week of March approaches.