Means of escape in residential buildings research
Research report for the technical review of statutory guidance for evacuation strategies and fire safety in buildings in England given by Approved Document B.
Applies to England
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This report and appendices summarise the research commissioned by the government as part of the technical review by the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) of the statutory guidance for fire safety in buildings in England given by Approved Document B (AD B).
The research is in response to BSR’s goal to ‘Evaluate evacuation strategies using a robust modelling approach considering the analysis of the effectiveness of physical design measures and human behaviour (including impact of public confidence and perceptions)’ in high-rise residential buildings.
This work measures evacuation performance using representative scenarios, including challenging building smoke movement situations. It is informed by an understanding of the physical design measures in buildings that support evacuation and behavioural factors that influence occupant movement and decision-making.
The study also engaged with residents, fire and rescue service (FRS) personnel and other professionals to gain specific insights on relevant evacuation behaviour and building design characteristics. The findings from this study have allowed for an investigation of key design, procedural and response factors to deliver quantitative information that can enable a competent professional to evaluate the evacuation performance of high-rise residential buildings.