The increase of sustainable building materials during construction has been welcomed by many environmentally concious. However, the use of certain products, while good for the environment, pose a higher risk of catching fire.

Jonathan O’Neill, Managing Director, Fire Protection Association told IFSJ in an exclusive interview: “Building methods have evolved dramatically over the last decade, we are using different materials which are combustible.

“This will not change over the next 20 years because some of it ties into the sustainability agenda. In the years to come, we will continue to build with even more combustible products because they have less impact on the environment. We accept that. At the same time, we need to re-write some of the building rules, which were done keeping old fashioned building materials and techniques.”

In Britain, a newly ratified law, the Building Safety Act, came into effect towards the end of April. The new law has been a work in progress fueled by modern fire disasters in the UK.

O’Neill welcomed the new bill but told IFSJ that we now need a fundamental root and branch review of building regulations in the UK. “It’s been well over a decade since the last review,” he said.