New Technology to Improve Safety for Buildings with Combustible Cladding
Property owners are facing growing financial and safety risks, according to recent analysis by Climate Valuation One in 10 properties in Australia will become uninsurable within the next decade, while the cost of insurance is becoming prohibitive, driven by a surge in claims and a 14% increase in average premiums.
Fires like the Grenfell Tower tragedy in the UK, Melbourne's Lacrosse building and Neo 200 fires have shown how dangerous combustible cladding can be, especially aluminium composite panels (ACP) and expanded polystyrene (EPS), which are still commonly used in Australian buildings.
The problem goes way beyond insurance premiums: with over 3,000 buildings at risk nationwide, entire communities are vulnerable to catastrophic fire events, according to Justin Rooney, Managing Director of Flame Security International.
“Even if a building is deemed uninsurable, the risk of fire doesn’t disappear. We need solutions that protect people and give them a safety net,” said Rooney.
Currently, the most common solution to address the dangers of combustible cladding is removal and replacement, often prohibitively expensive for building owners and disruptive for occupants.
For many, replacing combustible cladding isn’t a realistic option due to high costs. Property values can drop, owners struggle to rent or sell, and material shortages and a lack of skilled workers can delay replacement processes, leaving buildings and their occupants at risk for longer.
Professor Guan Yeoh of the ARC Fire Training Centre at the University of NSW and his team, in partnership with Flame Security International, have been researching better ways to address the growing risks of combustible cladding through the development and trialing of innovative technologies.
Solutions such as the FORGEWORKZ Cladding Monitoring System (CMS) provide an alternative to full cladding replacement, offering a more practical and affordable way to improve safety.
“This monitoring system can pick up a flame threatening the cladding on the outside of the building within seconds. Linked to a 24 hour emergency monitoring service based in Australia, the CMS alerts both residents and fire services, and triggers an immediate response. This reduces the likelihood of significant property damage and loss of life,” says Tony Overstead, CEO of Flame Security International.
“Australians have been living in limbo, unable to afford cladding removal and left vulnerable to disaster,” says Rooney. “New technology offers property owners a strong and responsive system to help them save lives and homes, if the unthinkable happens.”
FORGEWORKZ Cladding Monitoring System is due for launch in June 2025. It can be used alongside other certified fire protective coating products such as FIRECOAT Exterior and FIRECOAT Interior for even more comprehensive protection.
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