Education

Live Educational Opportunities

On-Demand Webinars

Fire Safety for Exterior Wall Assemblies (self-paced)

Manufacturers, industry groups, architects, designers, and homeowners all share an expectation of safety in the buildings we occupy and use every day. This course discusses the key chapters where important exterior wall fire provisions can be found in the International Building Code® and examines many common features of global fire incidents. The course also describes the NFPA 285 fire test and discusses the new Annex B in the 2023 edition of NFPA 285. Finally, there is a discussion of the code compliance pathways when exterior walls are required by the IBC® to be tested and comply with NFPA 285.

Fire Safety for Exterior Wall Assemblies (video webinar)

This video webinar will demonstrate how U.S. codes and standards regulate the use of combustible building products in commercial buildings for safe and effective use. Examples of approved assemblies in a variety of exterior walls for different construction configurations will be provided. There will also be a focus on how fire safety can be maintained throughout the design process and construction phases using code compliance options like engineering judgments for certain deviations from tested wall assemblies.

Fire Performance Testing and Compliance for Exterior Wall Assemblies

With limited exceptions, the International Building Code® (IBC®) requires testing and compliance with NFPA 285 for exterior wall assemblies of buildings of Types I, II, III, and IV construction containing foam plastic insulation. This course examines three methods for demonstrating that an exterior wall assembly design complies with NFPA 285, including engineering analysis. The course also discusses how and where to locate NFPA 285 information for each compliance method.

Fire Performance Testing Requirements for FPIS Use in Steel-framed Exterior Walls Under the IBC

The International Building Code (IBC) contains a variety of fire safety provisions regarding the use of foam plastic insulation and foam plastic insulating sheathing. Building code requirements for these important insulation materials and their different uses include several fire performance tests for these insulation materials and assemblies where they are used (for example, steel-framed exterior walls). The specific scope of testing required is both prompted and influenced by the details of a project, the configuration of the assembly, and where the foam plastic is located within the assembly. This course is intended to provide attendees with an understanding of the various fire performance testing requirements, what prompts and influences them, and where to locate the relevant provisions in the IBC.