Fire-Rated Glass Solutions

Client: Kane Construction
Location: 41 Victoria Parade, Fitzroy, Victoria
Fire Engineer: ARUP Fire Engineers

Meeting Code Compliance Through Advanced Fire-Rated Glazing Solutions

Greene Fire was entrusted with delivering a fire-rated glazing solution for St Vincent’s Hospital’s Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery (ACMD), a complex research and teaching facility with stringent fire safety requirements. The installation of four Aluflam AF91 Double Doors and eight Aluflam AW60 Fixed Windows was a pivotal element in ensuring compliance with the National Construction Code (NCC) while maintaining the aesthetic and functional aspirations of the project.

Navigating Code Compliance Challenges

The ACMD building, classified as a mixed-use facility, needed to meet the highest fire safety standards due to its combination of medical laboratories, office spaces, and teaching environments. As stipulated in the NCC Volume 1 (BCA 2016), the fire protection strategy had to align with Sections C, D, and E, which set requirements for fire resistance levels, smoke hazard management, and egress provisions. Laboratories within the ACMD building presented a significant fire risk, necessitating stringent compartmentation solutions that would mitigate the spread of fire while enabling visibility for safe operations. Compartmentation was essential to achieving compliance with CP1 and CP2, which govern the ability of building elements to resist the spread of fire, as well as DP4 and DP5, which focus on safe and effective egress for building occupants. A key concern was the need to ensure that the selected fire-rated glazing could meet the Fire Resistance Level (FRL) of 120/120/120, a benchmark that measures a material’s structural adequacy, integrity, and insulation over time. Additionally, the presence of flammable chemicals in research areas meant that the fire-rated glazing had to provide an effective barrier against both direct flame impingement and heat transfer, as specified in NCC C3.15, which dictates the performance requirements for fire-rated materials in high-risk environments.

Fire-Rated Glass as a Code-Compliant Solution

To ensure compliance with the NCC, Greene Fire installed Aluflam AF91 Double Doors and AW60 Fixed Windows, both of which were rigorously tested and certified to AS1530.4. These solutions provided the required fire resistance while maintaining the necessary visibility for laboratory operations. The AF91 doors were designed to meet the specific requirements of fire-isolated exits and compartmentalised areas, ensuring they could withstand a fully developed fire without compromising structural integrity or insulation. The AW60 fixed windows were critical in fulfilling the requirements of C3.4 and C3.6, which regulate fire separation distances and unprotected openings. By integrating these windows into the design, the project ensured that areas with high fire risks, such as laboratory spaces, were adequately shielded from adjoining sections of the building, preventing fire from breaching compartmental boundaries. Furthermore, NCC Clause C4.2 mandates that fire-rated exit pathways remain uncompromised by adjacent building elements. The installation of Aluflam fire-rated doors in designated egress routes ensured compliance with this requirement, offering reliable compartmentation that protected both occupants and first responders during evacuation scenarios.

Addressing Smoke Hazard Management and Fire Spread Prevention

The NCC requires that smoke and heat barriers be implemented in fire-prone areas to prevent smoke migration, particularly in interconnected spaces. The fire-rated glass systems installed by Greene Fire contributed to compliance with E2.2 and AS1668.1, which specify the performance of smoke barriers and mechanical ventilation systems. By incorporating fire-resistant glazing with intumescent technology, the installed doors and windows helped contain smoke within designated fire compartments, limiting the spread of toxic fumes. Additionally, the fire-rated glass was designed to support the automatic fire suppression system, as required by E1.4, ensuring that in the event of a fire, the glazing would complement sprinkler activation rather than impede its effectiveness. This integration was essential for maintaining tenability conditions in corridors and shared spaces, enabling safer evacuation and minimising structural damage.

Ensuring Safe Egress Through Fire-Isolated Exits

The NCC places strict requirements on egress pathways, dictating that fire-rated doors must provide adequate separation between compartments while allowing for a safe exit. DP4 and DP6 require that travel distances be minimised and that pathways remain unobstructed. By installing Aluflam AF91 Double Doors, Greene Fire ensured that egress routes met these criteria, providing a solution that allowed for immediate exit without the risk of fire or smoke penetration. A major consideration was the intersection of DP5 with C3.15, which governs the use of fire-protected shafts for service penetrations. The selected glazing solutions were installed in such a way that they did not interfere with vertical shafts and fire-isolated stairwells, ensuring that compartmentation integrity was maintained throughout the building.

The Result: A Fully Code-Compliant Fire Safety Solution

With Greene Fire’s expertise in fire-rated glazing, the ACMD project successfully met and exceeded all necessary NCC fire safety requirements. The Aluflam AF91 Double Doors and AW60 Fixed Windows provided the essential fire resistance needed for a facility of this complexity, ensuring that fire spread, smoke hazards, and compartmental integrity were all effectively managed. The project not only achieved full regulatory compliance but also enhanced the building’s overall safety and usability. By incorporating fire-rated glazing solutions that seamlessly blended into the architectural design, Greene Fire delivered a system that safeguarded building occupants while preserving the natural light and open environment required for a world-class medical research facility. The result was a sophisticated fire safety system that set a new benchmark for fire-rated glazing applications in healthcare and research settings, reinforcing the critical role of innovative, regulation-driven fire protection strategies.

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