Belgium’s recent history has been marked by tragic fires that underscore the need for strict fire prevention regulations. In response to these disasters, a law was established in 1979 to regulate fire and explosion prevention and the mandatory civil liability insurance under such circumstances. This law led to the Royal Decree of July 7, 1994, which defines the basic standards for fire prevention. These standards set the minimum conditions that building design, construction, and outfitting must meet to ensure safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In response to these tragedies, the law of July 30, 1979, was drafted. This law has two main objectives: fire and explosion prevention, and the mandatory civil liability insurance under such circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fire resistance refers to a building element’s ability to maintain its function for a certain period when exposed to fire, including stability, flame containment, and thermal insulation. This resistance is tested in laboratories, where one side of the structure is exposed to increasing temperatures according to a standard temperature curve. The resistance class is expressed in minutes, indicating the duration of the fire test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In recent years, there has been a shift toward adopting a European standard. This standard requires that doors, door assemblies, and metal fire-resistant frames comply with the EI1 requirement of the European norm. This has implications for building permits: applications submitted after July 1, 2022, must meet the EI1 standard, while applications submitted before this date can still use RF frames.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let’s clarify the definitions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
EI1 30<\/strong> means 30 minutes of fire resistance. This can affect the price of the door leaf since it generally needs to be 50 to 60mm thick. At Symons, we do not differentiate between RF or EI1 frames for our metal door frames<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n EI1 frames may be required depending on regulations, building type, function, and specific fire safety and compartmentalization needs. It\u2019s essential to consult relevant local and national building codes and fire safety standards to determine if EI1 frames are necessary for a given project. In Belgium and the EU, these requirements are usually detailed in fire safety standards applicable to specific buildings or projects. Architects, often in consultation with fire safety experts, determine where and if EI1 frames should be installed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
EI1 60<\/strong> means 60 minutes of fire resistance.
EI2 is less strict than EI1 because temperature requirements are less stringent. In Belgium, the stricter EI1 standard is applied.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhen are EI1 fire doors required?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Symons’ role in the transition to the EI1 standard<\/h2>\n\n\n\n