INT324SEK

  Finish and Furniture It is important to understand the codes and standards related to finishes and furniture because they contribute to the spread of a fire. While codes will typically regulate decorative material and trim, all items are considered to be part of the fuel load and potentially contribute to the ignition and additional spread for a fire within a building. This also makes it important to test building materials, however, finishes and furniture focus on the potential of a material to contribute to an overall fire and smoke growth or spread, while a building material concentrates on the amount of time it can resist a fire. Standards and Testing Codes, in relation to finishes and furniture, reference several standards from the NFPA, UL, and ASTM. Each of these standards set a performance expectation for the finish, material, or furniture component that are further referenced by the building codes, fire codes, and the Life Safety Code. Each test is different and de...

  Sustainability While the codes regulate how a building aids occupants in the event of a fire or emergency, sustainability focuses on the impact that a building has on the environment. Sustainable development is defined as the development that meets the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Essentially, this means that sustainability is creating and using certain elements that will not prove detrimental to the world and future generations. Certain measures are implemented to hold standards for these specific elements including Green Rating Systems, Life Cycle Assessments, and Environmental Product Declarations. Green Rating Systems The first green rating systems established was known as the Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method and ten years later, the U.S. Green Building Council developed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). Both these continue to expand, ...