Smoke toxicity of rainscreen façades

The toxic smoke production of four rainscreen façade systems were compared during large-scale fire performance testing on a reduced height BS 8414 test wall. Systems comprising ‘non-combustible’ aluminium composite material (ACM) with polyisocyanurate (PIR), phenolic foam (PF) and stone wool (SW) insulation, polyethylene-filled ACM PIR insulation tested. Smoke toxicity was measured by sampling gases at two points - the exhaust duct main room an additional ‘kitchen vent’, which connects cavity to occupied area. Although similar for three products non-combustible ACM, flowing from burning through kitchen vent greater factors 40 17 PF respectively, when SW. Occupants sheltering in connected are predicted collapse, then inhale lethal concentration asphyxiant gases. This is first report quantifying conditions within assessing cavity.