What is the best way go about conducting project specific fire testing?

I’ve got a bespoke fire door design on my project – can I achieve this?

Yes, you sure can, however, balancing aesthetics with compliance is the key consideration.

You may have a good-looking design – one that will complement your design intent perfectly – but the key factor is engaging with a fire door manufacturer to ensure what you are envisioning will meet compliance requirements as well.

Project Specific Fire Testing is multi-faceted, and several items need to be considered. We have broken down a few of these to remove the mystery around project specific fire testing.

1. Project Specific Fire Testing has a long lead time therefore engaging early with the manufacturer is critical.
2. Clarity on the final design and finishes is critical – as part of preparing for a fire test, shop drawings are prepared and shared with you and changes made until we achieve the desired design. Your design will be considered however, the manufacturer will provide advice from a fire testing perspective around what will and will not be achievable. We will endeavor to get as close as possible to your design vision but in the interest of compliance some items may have to be sacrificed.
3. Availability of materials – Access to and availability of materials for the fire test is a key consideration. Bespoke designs can sometimes mean imported product or indent ordering – along with this generally comes long lead times. Enough material for the fire test is one thing – but what about the rest of the project? In the interest of the project meeting programme, it is key you determine availability of materials early in the design process.
4. Possibility of failure – There is always the ever-present risk of your project specific fire door design failing in the fire test – there is never a guaranteed pass when it comes to fire testing. We will do our best to provide technical advice and manufacture a prototype based on successful previous fire testing experience – but it all comes down to the fire test. In the unlikely event of this occurring further fire tests can be done but changes to the prototype will need to be made.
5. Compliance – Every project specific fire test design will need to be compliant. As a duty of care to the lives we are protecting in the building we can’t achieve the design intent but forget compliance. Compliance is determined by whether the doorset meets the NZS4520:2010 standard while undergoing testing.
6. Aesthetics – Aesthetics are an important consideration for you as an architect on your project. Being clear on your design intent and communicating that early in the design process to the manufacturer goes a long way to ensuring the manufacturer aligns his test prototype as close as possible to your design intent.
7. Hardware – Clarity on your preferred hardware supplier and the specific hardware models you want is non-negotiable. Ensuring you communicate this early in the design process with the manufacturer is critical. Once hardware is tested in a project specific fire test – hardware can’t be changed at a later stage in the project – if you do you run the risk of installing non-compliant hardware that will have to be removed.

You might be now wondering how do I conduct project specific fire testing on my bespoke fire door design? Below is a quick 5 step guide that will be followed when you reach out to our team.

1. Client Consultation to determine your design intent.
2. Specification/Design review of what you currently have designed.
3. Shop drawings created based on your design intent and finalized after consultation
4. Prototype manufactured in line with shop drawings
5. Fire test conducted

So, in closing once a successful fire test is completed can I just go ahead and move forward with my project? Not quite – the fire test report must be finalized and sent to the manufacturer before you can finalize your design and lodge for building consent.