Fire and Explosion Engineering

Overview

Fire and Explosion Engineering

Engineering principles for fire safety have been progressively developed and formalized over the past decades, supported by evolving national and international standards, and scientific advances. Efectis has embraced, reinforced, and applied these principles since the 1990s, combining analytical methods, experimental investigations, and advanced numerical modelling to deliver performance-based safety solutions. This integrated approach supports the design, assessment, and optimization of fire safety strategies in sectors such as public buildings, infrastructure, industry, nuclear plants and high-risk facilities.

Historically rooted in fire safety engineering, Efectis has expanded its capabilities to include explosion safety engineering which is now a growing area of expertise within the company.

Efectis offers a comprehensive range of technical competencies related to fire and explosion safety, including smoke or explosive gas propagation, structural / compartmentation response to fire or explosion, active suppression systems, external fire spread, evacuation analysis, environmental risk assessment, firefighting access, and wildfire scenarios.

Across all project phases, Efectis provides strategic advice, regulations interpretation, design verification, and third-party evaluation. Its approach is grounded in scientific accuracy and operational relevance, and if needed supporting by specific tests performed by the Efectis Laboratories.

Its strengths include a multidisciplinary team, with many capabilities such as:

Through its engineering services, Efectis contributes to safer designs and more resilient environments, offering technically robust and national context-sensitive solutions aligned with the latest scientific knowledge.

fire protection services

At Efectis, we tailored fire safety design that help you create safer, more resilient buildings. Whether you’re launching a new development, upgrading existing infrastructure, or managing a complex project, our fire engineering and fire consultancy teams ensure your building meets strict safety standards, protects occupants, and maintains business continuity and guide you from initial design through construction to occupation, offering end-to-end fire protection consultancy and solutions.

Fire Strategy Development, Risk Assessments, and Fire Safety Consultancy

We create customized fire strategy reports to address life safety, property protection, business continuity, and environmental concerns. Our strategies ensure smooth regulatory approvals and cost-effective designs.

Fire Safety Assessments & Engineering Judgements

We assess the fire resistance ratings and reaction-to-fire classifications of construction materials, and their installation methods ensuring your building withstands fire hazards.

Smoke Control and Evacuation Modelling

Using advanced fire modelling tools, such as Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) we design and calculate smoke control systems based on tenability conditions (toxicity, visibility, temperature, and radiation) to guarantee safe evacuation.

Compliance with Fire Safety Regulations

Stay ahead of evolving building fire safety standards with expert compliance guidance, helping you avoid costly project delays or legal issues.

Why Choose Efectis for Expert Fire Protection Consultancy?

  • Expertise Across All Sectors: From commercial and residential to industrial and infrastructure projects.
  • Integrated Fire Protection Solutions: Covering both passive fire protection and active fire protection measures.
  • Fire Engineering Excellence: Strategic insights that balance safety, functionality, and project economics.
  • Fast-Tracked Compliance: Helping you achieve quicker approvals and lower insurance costs.

When you work with Efectis, you gain peace of mind, knowing your fire safety systems and strategies are designed to the highest standards — and tailored to your unique project needs.

Contact Efectis for more details on how we can provide you with fire strategy reports, and complete fire protection services for your next project.

Fire Strategy reports

Tailored Fire Strategy Reports to Ensure Safety, Compliance & Business Continuity

At Efectis, our team of fire engineers creates fire strategy reports designed to meet your building’s unique fire safety needs. Whether you’re developing a new project or upgrading an existing one, we ensure compliance with the Building Regulations Part B for fire safety. For more complex projects, we apply engineered solutions and QDR (Qualitative Design Reports) based on BS 7974 to provide in-depth, customized fire safety strategies, ensuring safety, compliance, and business continuity.

The Importance of Fire Strategy Reports for Compliance and Safety

A fire strategy report is essential for ensuring life safety, protecting property, and supporting business continuity. Our fire engineers develop these reports in line with the Building Regulations Part B, which governs fire safety in buildings. Additionally, we use design guidelines like Approved Document B (ADB), BS 9999, and BS 7974 to ensure your building complies with fire safety design requirements and is protected in the event of a fire.

Comprehensive Fire Strategy Solutions from Design to Implementation

Our team of fire engineers and consultants work with you through every phase of your project to ensure your fire strategy meets all necessary fire safety regulations. Our services include:

  • Fire Strategy Report Creation: Tailored to your building’s unique needs and fire safety objectives.
  • Retrospective Fire Strategy Development: Updating or developing fire strategies for existing buildings.
  • Third-Party Fire Strategy Review: Ensuring your current fire strategy meets regulatory standards and safety requirements.

Compliance with Fire Safety Regulations: Approved Document B, BS 9991, BS 9999, and More

Compliance with fire safety regulations is critical. At Efectis, we ensure your fire strategy report aligns with the Building Regulations Part B, the regulation governing fire safety in the UK. Our fire strategies follow design guidelines such as Approved Document B (ADB), BS 9991, BS 9999, and BS 7974, ensuring your building’s fire safety strategy is comprehensive, compliant, and ready for any emergency.

Tailored Fire Strategies for Residential, Commercial, and Industrial Projects

Whether you’re designing a residential, commercial, or industrial building, our fire strategy reports provide solutions suited to each type of project. We assess your fire safety needs, plan for fire safety provisions, and provide strategies to meet local and international fire safety regulations.

Why Efectis Is Your Trusted Fire Strategy Partner

Choosing Efectis for your fire strategy services means working with a team of experienced fire engineers who prioritize your building’s safety and compliance. Here’s why clients trust us:

  • End-to-End Consultancy: From concept design to construction and occupation, we ensure every phase of your project meets fire safety standards.
  • Regulatory Compliance Expertise: We ensure your fire strategy report complies with Building Regulations Part B, while aligning with Approved Document B, BS 9991, BS 9999 and BS 7974.
  • Tailored Solutions: We develop customized fire strategy reports to meet your building’s specific needs, ensuring compliance and optimal protection.

Fast-Tracked Approvals: Our team works efficiently to help you get fire strategy approvals with minimal delays.

If you’re ready to ensure your building is fire-safe and compliant, contact Efectis for consultation. Whether you need a new fire strategy report, a retrospective strategy, or a third-party review, our expert team is here to help.

Structural fire engineering

Structural fire engineering design is the calculated design of a structure to withstand the thermal load effects of fire, which have the potential to alter the integrity of a structure, based on specific performance criteria. It is important that every structure, whether it is steel, concrete, timber or other, is designed to meet adequate performance and withstand fire exposure, thereby ensuring the safety of occupants and minimizing property damage.

At Efectis, we apply advanced fire engineering principles to assess how buildings behave under fire conditions. Our work considers the building’s function, whether residential, industrial, or storage, as well as the specific materials used. By understanding potential fire exposure and failure modes, we help prevent collapse and ensure long-term resilience.

Efectis combines in-depth expertise with practical solutions. We conduct structural fire assessments using a combination of laboratory testing, analytical methods, and computational simulations. Our testing capabilities include both standard and ad-hoc fire tests at various scales, helping us gather the critical data needed for accurate analysis.

To support our analysis, we combine analytical methods and Eurocode guidance with Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Using computational models, we simulate the thermal and structural behaviour of elements under fire conditions. Efectis regularly uses established tools such as SAFIR, ANSYS, LENAS, and DIANA, selected for their proven reliability in structural fire modelling.

All models and software are carefully validated against both theoretical calculations and real-world experiments. This rigorous approach provides clients, engineers, and regulators with confidence in the safety and reliability of our design solutions.

By integrating structural fire safety into the design process, Efectis helps clients develop buildings that are compliant, resilient, and capable of maintaining integrity under fire conditions.

CFD modelling

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modelling is used to simulate how fire, smoke, and heat will behave in your building, helping you design safer spaces, meet regulatory requirements, and reduce risk.

CFD is a powerful engineering tool that allows us to create a virtual model of your project, replicating real-life fire and smoke conditions. It is especially useful in complex or non-standard buildings where traditional fire safety solutions may fall short.

We apply industry-recognised CFD software, including:

  • FDS (Fire Dynamics Simulator) and its user-friendly interface PyroSim: to model fire growth, smoke movement, and heat transfer
  • FLACS: for simulating gas dispersion and explosion effects, particularly in industrial environments

These tools allow us to simulate multiple scenarios and evaluate the performance of smoke control systems, ventilation, evacuation strategies, and tenability of escape routes.

What sets Efectis apart is our ability to go beyond simulation:

  • We support our models with data from a large database of real fire scenarios, based on decades of experimental research.
  • We offer physical fire testing, at both small and full scale, in our accredited laboratories across Europe, providing validated results you can trust.

We combine our CFD expertise with deep fire engineering knowledge and extensive expertise in fire testing conducted in our accredited laboratories to provide you with reliable, validated results. This ensures your designs are supported by proven data and helps build confidence with approving authorities and stakeholders. Whether your project is residential, commercial, or industrial, our CFD modelling services are tailored to help you design safer buildings, achieve compliance, and make informed fire safety decision.

fire safety research

Investing in fire safety research goes beyond compliance. It enhances operational safety, ensures adaptability to evolving regulations and technologies, and positions your business as a forward-thinking, risk-resilient leader.

Fire safety isn’t just a legal requirement. It’s a smart investment in your people, your reputation, and the future of your business.

Partnering with Efectis offers universities and research institutions access to our expertise, extensive data, and facilities, fuelling joint research and innovation. For companies, collaboration means the opportunity to drive advancements in fire safety technology, with the added potential for exclusive rights to research outcomes or patents.

Efectis offers a solid infrastructure for fire safety research, with 7 laboratories including three laboratories in the UK equipped for a wide range of testing needs. This includes several calorimetric hoods covering heat release rates from 100 kW to 10 MW given possible with 3 x 3m and 9 x 9m hoods, fire resistance furnaces from 1,5 m3 to 150 m3, an FTIR for gas analysis, and an ISO-compliant test room. These facilities provide a practical and reliable environment for developing and evaluating fire safety solutions.

Aligning with our time, we are actively involved in research projects addressing key topics of sustainability and green energy. Our work includes studying the fire performance of photovoltaic (PV) panels and their impact on roofing systems, assessing fire and explosion risks in hydrogen-powered systems, and evaluating fire safety challenges related to electric vehicles and e-micromobility, forest fires and Wild Urban Interfaces, fire behaviour of timber and biosources material.

Efectis is actively contributing to the advancement of fire safety in the UK through a professional consortium funded by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), focusing on key areas such as fire safety of balconies, spandrels, and glazing; smoke and toxicity; means of escape in residential buildings; and classification of external wall systems.

At the European level, Efectis is involved in several major projects funded by the European Commission, including the development of a new fire test for façades and the EU FireStat initiative aimed at harmonizing fire safety efforts across Europe.

We also conduct research on passive fire protection systems under extreme conditions, such as jet fires, and have contributed to peer-reviewed publications on intumescent coatings.

Additionally, Efectis played a leading role in the experimental and numerical reconstruction of the Grenfell Tower fire, providing valuable insights into fire propagation mechanisms and façade performance.

FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT

A Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) is a comprehensive evaluation of your building’s fire safety. It identifies fire hazards, assesses the risks to people, and provides actionable recommendations to improve safety. As part of the process, we evaluate fire hazards, identify those at risk, and outline strategies to remove or reduce these risks. Importantly, we record our findings, ensuring you have the documentation needed for compliance and future planning.

In the UK, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 mandates that all non-domestic premises conduct a fire risk assessment. Failure to comply could lead to serious legal and financial consequences.

Why Should You Conduct a Fire Risk Assessment?

A fire risk assessment is essential; it’s not just a formality, but a critical step towards ensuring the safety of your employees, customers, and the protection of your property.

  • Legal Compliance Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, conducting a fire risk assessment is a legal obligation. Non-compliance can result in fines, legal action, or even the closure of your business.
  • Protecting Lives A fire risk assessment helps identify fire hazards, at-risk people, and safe evacuation routes. It provides peace of mind, knowing that in the event of a fire, your building’s safety measures are in place. In real emergencies, every second counts — a well-structured fire safety plan could save lives.

Protecting Your Property and Assets Fires can cause devastating damage — to equipment, stock, data, infrastructure, and more. A comprehensive fire risk assessment can help: Reduce fire risk and prevent incidents. Minimise damage if a fire does occur; Potentially reduce insurance premiums or improve coverage terms.

      Additionally, fire-related disruptions can cripple businesses, particularly small-to-medium enterprises. A fire can cause weeks or months of operational downtime, loss of client trust, or even business closure. Our fire risk assessments are designed to ensure business continuity and faster recovery.

      Proven Expertise: With a presence in multiple countries and experience in high-risk sectors, we understand the complexity of every site — from high-rise buildings to industrial facilities and complex infrastructure like tunnels.
      Accredited and Qualified: We are proud members of the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) and are fully skilled in UK regulations (including RRFSO 2005, BS 9999, PAS 9980 for external walls).
      Comprehensive Support: We don’t just conduct fire risk assessments; we provide ongoing fire safety support throughout the life of your building, ensuring continuous compliance and safety.
      International Standards: Our services meet both UK and EU regulations, as well as ISO standards, making us an ideal partner for international projects.

      We provide fire risk assessments for a wide range of buildings and scenarios, including:

      • High-rise buildings and complex infrastructure, such as tunnels and industrial facilities, where fire safety planning is critical to safeguarding both occupants and operations.
      • Post-Grenfell façade reviews, ensuring that external wall systems comply with the latest fire safety standards to protect occupants in residential and commercial buildings.
      • Assessments for non-standard materials and cladding, which require a more detailed and customized approach to fire safety.
      • Whether you are dealing with a complex building or need an FRA for legal, insurance, or regulatory purposes, we provide a comprehensive, defensible FRA tailored to your needs.

      How can we help you?

      Contact us