Delft High: Sum of 208 sub-fire compartments

Prevention is better than cure. That approach applies across the board to the work Saber Fire Safety performed during the transformation of Delft Hoog. The company sealed some 3,600 penetrations within the apartment complex. An activity that contributes significantly to the fire safety of the building.

Text | Chris Elbers  Image | Klunder Architects

Saber Fire Safety from Duiven offers a wide range of products to protect steel structures and penetrations in, for example, office buildings, industrial halls, apartment buildings, etc. against fire. These are tailor-made solutions that comply with the Buildings Decree and are professionally installed, including certification, logbook and performance declaration. So too in the case of Delft Hoog. "By sealing the penetrations of cable ducts, electrical cables and a large number of air and exhaust ducts, all 208 homes have become a sub-fire compartment," says founder/owner Edgar van Leeuwen. "The penetrations have the same fire resistance as the walls themselves. Specifically, in the event of a house fire, there is a 30- and 60-minute delay before the fire spreads to the next compartment."

Custom

The motley battery of installations in the complex required a varied package of fireproofing. "The fact that this was a conversion project made the project even more comprehensive," says Van Leeuwen. "Whereas in new construction the piping is usually installed in the floor, in this case just about everything ran through the walls and floors. It was therefore a must and challenge to come up with a ready-made fireproof solution for each installation. For example, we provided the PVC pipes with a graphite-based, heat-shrinking and insulating sealant, which in the event of a fire squeezes the pipework, as it were. This stops the fire and prevents material damage, or worse."