A fire-resistive occupancy separation, CSU Fullerton

Advances in fire-rated glazing have delivered new tools to designers working to maximize the amount of daylight reaching deep inside a school building. By applying fire-rated glazing instead of opaque masonry or gypsum in walls, doors, lobbies, interior courtyards, roofs and exit corridors, interior spaces can pull in light from adjacent spaces.

Before the development of fire-resistive glazing, building material choices were limited when building codes required fire-resistive performance. Typically, designers used conventional solid walls where codes mandated fire safety. Traditional wired glass was the only available fire-rated glazing, and its size and use were limited because it can only block smoke and flames.

Today, there are a wide range of glass and framing systems that are just as fire-resistive as conventional solid walls. These clear, new glazing solutions are also impact safe, an important consideration in schools. Using this new category of fire-resistant glazing, designers can create walls, doors, interior courtyards and other interior spaces that use large areas of clear transparent fire-rated glass. Not only do these new products give architects greater aesthetic design flexibility, but they help bring light into deep interior spaces, reduce energy use, reduce noise and improve security.

Fire Rated Glass Provides Passive Fire Protection

UC Hastings Law School, San Francisco, California

Thanks to code changes and fire-safety education launched in the 1960s, the number of fatalities from campus fires has dropped significantly. Still, school fires persist. K-12 school officials place nearly 15,000 calls a year for help in battling campus fires. While fatalities are rare, the rate of injuries from school fires is higher than in either homes or in non-residential structure fires. School property damage is estimated at over $100 million a year.

The next step in limiting injury and damage caused by school fires is to adopt a balanced fire protection approach that combines active and passive fire protection systems. Most people are aware of active fire protection measures, like fire alarms, sprinklers, and fire extinguishers that help detect and suppress fires. What many people do not realize is that often invisible, passive fire protection measures deserve a lot of credit for containing dangerous heat, smoke and flames, which is critical to safe egress.