Following the tragedy of Grenfell Tower in 2017 fire safety is now at the top of the agenda, and the same is true when it comes to new build student accommodation. The Government’s Hackitt report, an independent review of building regulations and fire safety, found that the current system is not fit for purpose. The report concluded that a culture change is needed to support the delivery of buildings that are safe, both now and in the future.

Consequently, the Government is currently analysing feedback from experts regarding new building safety measures as part of its Building a Safer Future consultation paper, but in the meantime what does this mean for developers, investors and occupiers in the design and construction of student accommodation?

This sector is particularly sensitive as universities ultimately have a duty of care to those living under their roof, placing it under greater scrutiny than ever before. However, the trouble lies in the loss of confidence in the regulatory process and in the industry itself, so in order to tackle this we need to go back to the first principles of fire safety.

One way to bring greater focus to the issue is to appoint a ‘fire champion’: an independent expert who is employed to play an active role in the team throughout the development process to check, challenge, audit, guide and drive compliance of building safety requirements.

This role should act as a consistent link across the briefing, design and construction phases and include training in regards to the operation of the building in terms of fire safety and management.

What’s more, the operator’s fire evacuation procedure should be developed in parallel to the fire strategy. Both need to be fully coordinated and work in line with the design of the scheme. Involving the operator early should be seen as a major advantage in the process, allowing them to learn and contribute towards the fire safety and management procedures before they take responsibility of the building at occupation.  

Government figures show that approximately 55 per cent of 18-24 year old fire-related deaths occur due to the misuse of cooking appliances and the careless handling of hot substances. This is easily preventable. Simple features such as a stove guard system with fire suppression is a relatively low cost solution that can be fitted as part of the build and is an effective preventative measure.

Other considerations such as the layout of a student’s room is also important. Rooms are often designed to optimise the space, but with minor tweaks to the layout at the design stage, you can remove a fire risk potentially hindering an escape route.

Ultimately, minimising fire risk is about going back to first principles and making sure the roles and responsibilities, specifications, strategies and procedures are clear and that every element is checked and challenged. This should extinguish any doubts over fire safety.    

Further information

Read more: How Li-Fi will make student housing more sustainable