UL Future Built Forum Intro 

January 2019 in the middle of a “Polar Vortex” I attended UL Future Built Forum—an event that was worth braving the cold for. 

I wish I could take you back to UL Future Built Forum so you could sit in the room and hear the presentations. The speakers were fantastic and the presentations were PACKED with information. I want to thank Underwriters Laboratories, Fire Department City of New York  and International Association of Fire Fighters for sponsoring such a great event and I hope to be able to attend the next UL Future Built Forum. I learned not only from the presentations but from conversations with others in attendance who were all eager to learn and share. Can you tell I was in fire geek heaven for two days? 

I can’t wait to share all of this with you. UL has generously allowed me to share the slides. Here is what they covered int he two days 

Architects and fire officials presented several discussions about Tall Timber construction. You likely know that the 2021 code will allow Tall Timber, or cross laminate timber up to 18 stories. Many people think, “WOOD BURNS that is a horrible idea!”  Well, wood does burn, that is a fact. Lets look at a few there facts. 

• ICC has reviewed extensive fire test data provided by the industry and approved it. 

• These buildings are going up all over the world. A quick google search will give you an idea of where and how tall. 

• Steel is strong, but according to this article in Fire Engineers it will lose its structural stability at 1100F. The time temperature curve used by US fire tests will require the temperature to be 1000F at the five minute mark and 1300F at the ten minute mark. Without properly applied protection, steel is very weak in a fire. 

• Wood burns, yes. As the wood burns, the char created insulates the inner layers. The structural stability of the wood diminishes gradually, rather than collapsing all at once when it reaches a critical temperature. 

Before you dismiss the idea of tall timber buildings as crazy, I encourage you to learn more about it. I find the fire data quite interesting. While impressive, it is not yet extensive. I’m still on the fence but eager to get involved with a CLT project to learn more.

One critical lesson I’ve learned is that QA/QC will be essential. In both concrete and wood-framed buildings, contractors without complete education or those willing to cut corners face greater liabilities. On a CLT project, you cannot afford the ‘we have always done it this way’ mentality, as this field is still new. If you’re working on a CLT project and need help with QA/QC, please feel free to call me. 

The second discussion was on battery storage inside buildings. Due to other obligations, I missed this segment but managed to return for the discussions on exterior facades and high-rise fire-fighting challenges.

I plan to share all the slides and might also offer some of my thoughts along the way.

A heartfelt thank you goes to everyone involved in this event—the sponsors, speakers, organizers, and attendees. Being among you all was an honor, and I truly appreciate everything you shared. I look forward to attending any future events you may have.