A coalition of more than 40 organizations from around the world has appointed 21 fire safety experts to develop international industry standards to address fire safety standards.
The International Fire Safety Standards (IFSS) Coalition was formed earlier this year at the United Nations in Geneva and aims to set and reinforce the best practice professionals should adhere to ensure building safety in the event of a fire.
The international effort is seen as essential due to the globalization of the property market with more investors spreading their wings across national borders.
Despite that trend over many years, the sector still lacks a consistent set of high level global principles that will inform the design, construction, and management of buildings to address the risks associated with fire safety.
“The Grenfell Tower fire focused the world’s attention on how many buildings are threatened with the prospect of failing fire safety standards,” said Gary Strong, global building standards director of RICS and chair of the IFSS Coaltion. “All over the world we see the need for more high-rise structures, some residential, some commercial and some mixed-use buildings, particularly with increased urbanisation in cities. Our concern is not with the height of these buildings but with the risks they pose in the absence of a coherent and harmonised approach to setting global standards in fire safety.”
