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
Or are you capping.
STEM ambassadors needed for ICE CityZen award.
Digital gaming competition for UK students aged 16 to 18.
Heritage protection in England vs Australia.
Fire doors and the Fire Door Inspection Scheme.
Three-quarters of fire doors fail inspections
UN International Day for Biological Diversity, May 22.
The role of geoparks, biospheres and world heritage sites.
BSRIA conference 2022, June 23.
Just one month to go ! Find out more here.
Restoring Broadbent’s Bath House
A new gallery for the University of Huddersfield.
Corruption in the construction industry.
What will it take to stop it ?
To celebrate world bee day 2022 !
Just one month until the changes to part L come into effect.
Not forgetting part F and the new part overheating part O.
Heat Pump demand rises by one quarter.
As energy prices jump up in cost.
With people in the UK from Ukraine.
Industry leader Steve Murray takes on role.
An abundant and versatile building material.
How overheating complicates ending gas in the UK.
600,000 heat pump installations targeted per year by 2028.
Cost planning, control and related articles on DB.
Helping prevent those unwanted outcomes.
ICE debate Public transport - post pandemic.
How has transport changed due to Covid-19 ?
Cross-ventilation in buildings. Do you have it ?
Will you need it ? after June 15 and the new Part O ?
Share your knowledge with the industry.
Create an account and write the first of many articles.
The green jobs delivery group.
CIAT commentary after the first meeting.
Liverpool's world heritage site status
Who is to blame?
Research recommends focussing on portfolio success rather than project success.