Through an innovative collaboration between Furesø Municipality, Jakobsen Huse, Juul & Hansen Architects, and DBI, a wooden structure has been created as a demonstration project for the entire industry. The purpose was to explore how to make more sustainable structures meet the fire safety requirements of BR18.
Furesø Municipality has ambitious goals to develop a greener profile. Previous focus has been on energy optimization, primarily in schools and day care facilities. Moving forward, new constructions are also intended to be carbon neutral. The possibility of building with biobased materials such as wood is quickly hindered by fire safety regulations, which often favour more carbon-intensive materials due to economic considerations.
The project aimed to contribute to a greater understanding of timber constructions, so that they can eventually become part of the pre-accepted solutions. Additionally, the project aimed to investigate the barriers faced by sustainable construction.
One aspect the project addressed was the floor separation between apartments and the unused attic space, where the architects desired a solution constructed with wood-concrete, a vapor-permeable membrane, and 440 mm wood fiber. A preliminary test on a 1.5x1.5-meter sample demonstrated it as a potential solution. Subsequently, a successful classification test was conducted. Based on this, a fire technical assessment was carried out, potentially allowing the project to maintain a fire class 2 rating, even though the product did not meet the pre-accepted solutions.
DBI actively works to contribute to new biobased solutions and material choices that can reduce the building industry’s environmental impact. Part of the project aligns with this strategy. The conducted fire tests and the fee for the certified fire consultant were financed by the construction project.
