Hear our experts’ take on the latest developments and trending topics
Prior to 2010, the UAE had limited fire regulations, the design of towers being dependent on the Building Code, and designer adoption of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and International Building Contracting (IBC) guidelines. Due to recent tower fires, Dubai has been working towards adopting tougher fire regulations.
The revisions in the UAE’s 2013 Fire and Life Safety Code ensured fire-resistant cladding for new buildings over 15 metres tall; however, a considerable number of buildings in the region were constructed prior to stricter fire regulations. The 2015 high rise blazes in the Torch Tower and Address Hotel, both of which were completed prior to 2011, shifted focus back to the cladding used, as the type of insulation, fixings and voids behind the cladding contribute to the speed and intensity of the blazes.
The 2017 UAE Fire and Life Safety Code is a 1,426-page document, double that of 2011, providing detailed explanations of fire safety design elements, such as accessibility and cladding with respect to the various stakeholders that are held accountable. The code formulation team dedicated six months solely to setting the requirements for the cladding chapter.
With regard to the exterior cladding, the 2017 edition aims to raise the standards for supplement materials and reduce the cladding’s flammability to zero. Additionally, buildings completed prior to strict regulations must be audited individually to identify the risk specific to each building and must meet the new code requirements when it is time for their maintenance. There has been an increased focus on cladding as the main contributor to tower fires but there are a variety of other fire safety issues that must also be considered, including means of escape, lack of and damage to proper fire stopping meaning regular audits are essential.
Dubai has demonstrated timely responses to previous fire accidents, using modern fire prevention technology and qualified firefighters. Although the city has implemented smart systems and alarms, the building management control and on-going maintenance checks are factors that are often overlooked. According to Dubai Civil Defence, nine minutes is the average response time to fires in 2017, most of which were caused by faulty electric outlets or cigarette butts being thrown recklessly.
It is important for property owners and managers to take the necessary steps that emphasise the precautions that prevent a fire from starting. Some owners tend to ignore degrading areas in the building, basements, service floors, and roof tops which have been common start points for tower fires. Such issues can be avoided by a good facility management (FM) strategy that ensures the safety of residents. Frequent team replacements may lead to minor issues being ignored and fire safety plans falling by the wayside, thus it is important to develop a longstanding relationship with the FM team.
The UAE Ministry of Interior and Civil Defence Headquarters are launching the region’s largest automated integrated system of fire safety monitoring, which will connect all UAE buildings to improve emergency responses and regular maintenance activity. Dubai Civil Defence aims to position the UAE among the leading global countries in achieving safety and security. By following best practices in line with international standards, the UAE is shifting towards a community of enhanced life standards, with raised awareness of fire prevention and safety.
Stay up to date
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. If you continue without changing your settings, we’ll assume you’re happy with this. You can change your cookie settings at any time by clicking here.
ACCEPTxNecessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Julian Roche
MA (Oxon), MPhil, PhD
Chief Economist
Julian joined Cavendish Maxwell as Chief Economist in January 2019. Coming from an old real estate family in Ireland, his career as an economist began with a first-class honours degree in philosophy, politics and economics at the age of 19, following which Julian was an analyst with the UK Government. He later helped develop and launch the UK’s residential forecasting service with the firms that merged to become Global Insight. Julian subsequently developed derivatives in the City of London and established real estate futures contracts for what is now the International Commodity Exchange. He also ran a property development and management firm, before eventually serving as an international consultant and trainer to governments, central banks and notable firms including AXA, Citibank, DBS, Deloitte and Thomson Reuters.
Julian fills his work-free time with academic pursuits; he holds several postgraduate degrees, including a PhD in International Risk Management Policy, and also the Licensed Conveyancer qualification. Julian has published many business and academic texts and articles, and is also a keen walker – especially fond of the Scottish Highlands.
View Profile on
Sarah-Jane Carter
BA (Hons) DipM
Head of Marketing
Sarah-Jane joined Cavendish Maxwell in January 2020 as Head of Marketing and is responsible for the development of the marketing strategy and execution across the Middle East region. An energetic and results driven marketer, Sarah-Jane possesses a wealth of multi-channel marketing experience, within both B2B and B2C environments which she has gained over a 25 year career. Prior to joining Cavendish Maxwell, Sarah-Jane held senior marketing positions for major developers in Dubai including Emaar, Dubai Properties and Dubai Sports City. She also worked for IWG as the Regional Marketing Director responsible for the MEA and APAC regions. Before relocating to the UAE in 2005, Sarah-Jane held various management roles in public and private sector companies in the UK including ten years at Royal Mail and seven years at the Bank of America.
Sarah-Jane is a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and has a BA(Hons) Degree in Business and Marketing
View Profile on