European harmonization of assessment of fire safety performance of facades

Since 2017 the European Commission funded two research projects to harmonize testing of facades for fire safety performance. To support this work, a detailed review of fire safety regulations was carried out in all EU Member States. The findings showed that there is a strong need to test entire façade systems under realistic conditions. Large-scale tests give a more accurate picture than methods that only focus on basic material properties. As a result, the new testing approach was designed to include both medium- and large-scale setups, similar to existing standards like DIN 4102-20 and BS 8414.

Part of the second project was a theoretical comparison study, initial test development, and a large-scale experimental study. The theoretical study looked at how different laboratories understood and applied the draft testing method. After that, early tests focused on designing key elements, such as the fire source, the combustion chamber, and the opening that allows fire to spread. In the experimental phase, four different façade systems were tested in three laboratories using the proposed method. The method is basis for a future European standard for testing façades which will be developed in CEN (European Committee for standardization).

Finalisation of the European Approach to Assess the Fire Performance of Facades—Brief Information on the Outcome of the Project
Péter Tóth, Anja Hofmann-Böllinghaus, Fabien Dumont, Johan Anderson, Johan Sjöström, Mikael Bergius, Roman Chiva, Octavian Lalu
Fire and Materials, 2026