This document discusses thermal insulation and non-ventilated facades in the UAE. It addresses the fire safety risks of using expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation in non-ventilated systems and recommends the use of fire barriers, including fire breaks at each building level and lintels above openings, to contain fires. For special buildings, it recommends combining fire barrier systems with extended lintel protections and vertical barriers between cladding types. Detailed installation methods are provided for integrating fire barriers into non-ventilated insulation systems.

1. Thermal Insulation in UAE
Challenges and Opportunities
The safe use of non-ventilated facades
as exterior cladding on buildings
By: Ahmed El Bayaa
Regional Sales Manager
Caparol Paints L.L.C.

2. Building envelop insulation… Why?
• Reduce energy consumption
related to climate control
equipment usage in buildings
• Reduction in energy cost for
buildings
• Reduction in carbon footprint of
buildings operation
• Increase thermal comfort for
buildings occupants
• Preserve property and structure
• Could shift electricity peak load by
more than 12 hours (depending on
design)

3. How does building insulation work?
• Thermal conduction is the main
contributor of heat gain/loss in
buildings
• The principle is:
→ Reduce the heat conductivity
of the wall
• Insulation depends on entrapping
air… Air is the insulation
• Different material are available to
perform this job (MW – EPS – XPS
– PUR ..etc.)

4. Generic types of cladding systems
Ventilated facades
Typical system consist of an inner structure
insulated from its outer face with an external
cladding assembly with a cavity generally after
the insulation.
Non-ventilated facades
Typical system consist of an inner structure
insulated from its outer face with the external
finish applied directly on the insulation with no
gaps.

5. Non-ventilated façade application (ETICS/EIFS)
• Advantages:
→ Efficient insulation (no thermal
bridges)
→ Cost saving during building
construction as well as operation
→ Provides freedom in design options
→ Durable
→ Light weight
• ETICS/EIFS is the only option to
retrofit a building and improve the
performance of the building
envelope by a factor of 10 or more.

6. Is ETICS/EIFS problem free application?
• Challenges for ETICS/EIFS:
– Moisture / dampness resistance
– Mechanical stability
– Surface strength
– Safety in the event of fire
• All mentioned challenges are
mitigated with proper design and
application of the system
• When a proper maintenance
procedure is in employed, the
system expected life could exceed
60 years.

7. A focus on the safety in the event of fire:
Mechanism of fire spread
• Fire event could initiate
from inside or outside of a
building.
• If left to develop, the fire
will reach flashover and
extend to other building
compartments.
• If the fire extends to a
compartment at the outer
perimeter then it could
breakout from any
opening.
• Exterior cladding
interaction with flames
could impact the risk of fire
spread.

8. Fire travelling through cladding system
… the effect of cavities
• Cavities could be part of the
exterior cladding design or a result
of the fire event itself.
• When confined by external
cladding, the flames elongate to 5
to 10 times its original length
seeking oxygen and fuel.
• If the material used for cladding or
insulation contribute to the
propagation of fire, the potential
exist for the fire to affect multiple
stories simultaneously.
• In non-ventilated facades
(ETICS/EIFS) the cavities does not
exist by default.

9. Addressing the fire risk of non-ventilated facades
… a careful look at EPS as insulation
• Why use EPS?
– Excellent insulation values
– Light weight
– Cost effective
– Durable
– Low environmental impact
– No health risk associated
• Important considerations
– EPS is never used uncovered in
ETICS/EIFS application
– EPS has softening point at 100oC
– Fire retarded EPS shrinks away
then exposed to heat source
• EPS will generally NOT contribute
to a fire, however it could leave a
void.

10. Weak points within facades in an event of fire
• Above openings (windows or
doors).
• Area with accessibility – high traffic
or ground level.
• Exposed (non-covered surfaces)
during installation.
• The goal is to contain fire from
spreading directly above the origin.
→ Use fire barriers

11. Fire barriers… how does it work?
• Fire break protection:
– Applied continuously (without any
gaps) to full building circumference.
The goal of this method is to provide
an efficient limitation of fire in the
thermal insulation layer in each story
where it is applied.
• Lintel protection:
– Applied above every opening in the
façade (door or window). The goal of
this method is to prevent fire
penetration from an internal source
where the fire breaks out through the
opening to the thermal insulation
layer.
• Always use a non-burnable
insulation medium for the fire barrier

12. Recommendations
• For all building types:
– Restrict the use of the insulation medium (EPS) to the fire retarded grade (SE)
– Employ a fire barrier system:
• either fire-break at each level of the building,
• or lintel protection above every opening.
– Always use a horizontal fire-break at the first level of the building regardless of the
fire barrier system used, and even on façades with no openings (at 3 m height or at
the lintel level of the firs story whichever is higher).
– Always use vertical fire break as separation when other cladding systems are used
on the same building.
• For special use building (MALL, ASSEMBLY, HOSPITAL and EDUCATIONAL
buildings):
– In addition to the previously mentioned criteria, combine the use of both fire barrier
systems.
– Increase the lintel protection height to 50 cm and join it to fire-break protection for
added safety.

13. Installation details for fire barriers
Installation details of fire break protection
Installation of boards in fire break protection method Applying additional fixing after first render coat in fire break protection method
Section A-A Section B-B

14. Installation details for fire barriers (cont’d)
Installation details of lintel protection
Applying additional fixing after first render coat in lintel protection method
Section A-A Section B-B
Installation of boards in lintel protection method

15. Installation details for fire barriers (cont’d)
Installation details of extended protection for special use buildings (1)
Fire barrier system for special use buildings

16. Installation details for fire barriers (cont’d)
Installation details of extended protection for special use buildings (2)
Applying additional fixing after first render coat for special use buildings
Section A-A Section B-B
Installation of boards for special use buildings

17. Installation details for fire barriers (cont’d)
Installation details of special applications
Fire barrier at ground level for all buildings and walls types
Vertical fire barrier for mixed cladding systems buildings