COST C17 "Built Heritage: Fire Loss to Historic Building"

Transcription

1 TECHNICAL ANNEX COST C17 "Built Heritage: Fire Loss to Historic Building" A. BACKGROUND The intention of the Action is to address the physical and significant cultural loss of Europe s built heritage to the damaging effects of fire. It will be achieved in a multi-disciplinary, multi-national manner through the collaboration and integration of a variety of related projects. It will also build upon current research initiatives and recently published material resulting from a number of relevant international conferences. The outcomes will be the promotion of data, methodologies, and management systems. This will assist a wide range of end-users balance fire engineering needs with conservation requirements in the future preservation of the European patrimony. 1. Why a COST Action on this Topic In addition to associated levels of life loss, the number, authenticity and quality of European historic buildings is being steadily eroded through the effects of fire. In 1983 this was recognised by the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, who recommended That the governments of the member states adopt all legislative, administrative, financial, educational and other appropriate measures 1 to protect the built heritage from fire and other natural disasters. Therefore there is a need to find a balance between technological and management solutions to counter the disastrous effects of fire. The real scale of loss of historic buildings to fire is unknown but superficial data suggests that the annual and aggregated effect is considerable, perhaps as high as one important historic building each day. There is a general lack of statistical information, and a common lack of understanding and appreciation of what measures are available and required, to counter the effects of fire. Good 1 Recommendation No R(93)9 of the Committee of Ministers to Member States on the Protection of the Architectural Heritage against Natural Disasters

2 guidance is urgently called for on how to sensitively retrofit modern day equipment into historic fabric. There is also a need to develop related management expertise in the dealing with this problem in historic premises. 2. Status of the Research in the Field To assess the specific risks to a historic building requires the need to define possible, or expected, damage due to a particular hazard or phenomenon. The term historic building should be taken to be synonymous with the entire architectural heritage - comprising monuments, groups of buildings and sites, as well as movable objects having particular historical or aesthetic association with the protected building1. There are a considerable number of historic buildings requiring protection. It is important to recognise that these historic buildings are a major contributor to the sense of place and recent information indicates that they are of great importance to both inhabitants and tourists2. In some countries, the most important historic buildings are included on statutory lists. However, the criteria for selecting buildings for inclusion change from country to country. These listed buildings form only a small percentage of the total number of buildings which can be considered as part of the built heritage. As an indication, there are almost 36,000 listed buildings in Austria, 110,000 in Bavaria and 45,000 in Scotland, but detailed figures for all of Europe are lacking. To be effective in the resolution of this problem, it is necessary to develop a high level of international co-ordination and strengthen the levels of trans-national multi-disciplinary cooperation. It is necessary to exchange and enhance experiences to increase awareness and understanding, and to focus future action. Networking partnerships have been identified, their specialist input recognised and roles they perform classified. The associated skill and knowledge needs to be pooled, assessed and best practice developed. 3. Fire Damaged Heritage Property 1 Cf. Council of Europe Committee for Cultural Heritage A MORI poll undertaken for English Heritage indicated that of a representative sample of 3000 people in England, 76% think that their lives are richer for having the opportunity to visit or see the historic environment and 88% think that it is important in creating jobs and boosting the economy English Heritage, 2000, Power of Place: The future of the historic environment

3 A number of high profile heritage properties have suffered from the effects of fire. During 1992 alone significant and expensive fires occurred at the: Odd Fellow Palace, Copenhagen Proveant garden, Copenhagen Christianborg Palace Church, Copenhagen Windsor Castle, Berkshire, England Redoutensal, Hofborg Palace, Vienna. These and other major incidents readily received exposure in the world press, so are well known. Lesser building losses do not receive the same attention, but the effects are identical. For example, in the Lothian and Borders Fire Brigade region in East-Central Scotland, fire incidents occurred at 3,216 premises in the 5-year period up to Multiplied across Europe, the humanitarian loss, physical disruption and financial scale of the problem is immense, and is a cause for great concern. 4. Heritage and Cultural Tourism Steadily, the number of original, authentic, and valuable historic buildings, and their equally valuable contents, is being reduced through the accumulative effects of fire. It is readily appreciated that it is the individual quality of each country's built heritage that is at the heart of the cultural tourism industry1. However, should this asset continue to be eroded through the effects of fire, a large part of what supports that industry will be dramatically, and persistently, undermined. The value and significance of each place will be greatly reduced, and its authentic quality displaced. 5. Legislation The inevitable bias of current legislation, and the normal fire engineering approach to fire fighting, concentrates on life safety. Through expanding this, and developing it into an integrated approach that also addresses the safety needs of buildings and contents, a greater degree of life safety and 1 Domestic and overseas tourists to England currently generate 3 billion a year for the UK Treasury English Heritage, 2000 Power of Place: the future of the historic environment

4 security will automatically result. The potential combined benefits are indisputable in both personal and cultural terms. During the 1990's several international conferences considered the topic of fire loss to the built heritage. But these did not provide the mechanism for encouraging and co-ordinating research projects1. However, published proceedings offered an established understanding of the issues, although many of them remain un-resolved in practical terms. International events included: Thessaloniki, Greece: Fire Protection of Historical Buildings and Urban Complexes 1987 Risor, Norway: Fire Protection of Historic Buildings and Towns, 1990 Karlsruhe, Germany: Fire Safety and Conservation of Cultural Heritage, 1990 Kalithea, Greece: Fire Protection of Historic Buildings and Sites, 1994 Krakow, Poland: Fire Protection of Ancient Monuments, 1994 Santorini, Greece: Fire in Historic Buildings, 1996 Duff House, Scotland: Fire Protection and the Built Heritage, 1998 Versailles, France: Fire Risk Assessment in Historic Buildings 1, 1998 Schonbrunn, Austria : Fire Risk Assessment in Historic Buildings 2, 1999 Rome, Italy: Fire Protection of Cultural Resources, 1999 Zestochowa, Poland: Fire Protection of Historical Monuments, 1999 Thessaloniki, Greece: Fire Protection of Cultural Heritage, 2000 Stockholm, Sweden: Protection of Cultural Heritage Values, 2001 Schonbrunn, Austria: European Network for Fire Risk Assessment in Historic Buildings, 2001 UK National Events included: 1 A potential mechanism for co-ordinating research, and a means to disseminate information on research carried out, exists in the English Heritage Fire Research Database, which was established early in 2001 ( 1 All judgements about values attributed to cultural properties as well as the credibility of related information sources may differ from culture to culture, and even within the same culture. It is thus not possible to base judgements of values and authenticity within fixed criteria. On the contrary, the respect due to all cultures requires that heritage properties must be considered and judged within the cultural contexts to which they belong.

5 Anwick Castle: Fire and Historic Buildings, 1994 London: Heritage Fires (FPA), 1996 Edinburgh: Books do Burn, 1996 Liverpool: Protecting our Heritage, 1997 Belfast: Heritage Fire Safety (FPA), 1997 Cambridge: FineFire Conference, 2001 B. OBJECTIVES OF THE ACTION AND SCIENTIFIC CONTENT The main objective of the Action is the definition at European level of the degree of loss to the Built Heritage to the effects of fire and for the proposal of remedial actions and recommendations to combat such loss, using minimal invasive techniques. Across Europe the full extent of the physical loss of the built heritage to the effects of fire is unknown. Some suspect it to be as high as one important historic building each day, but there are no reliable statistics upon which the real degree of destruction and cultural loss can easily be established. In integrating new technologies with traditional disciplines there is a need to develop synergies within related organisations so that loss levels can be reduced and, ideally, halted. The underlying objective must be to retain the remaining cultural built heritage in an authentic state for future availability, access and enjoyment by all. This requires making best use of the limited resources available and recognising that conservation is a cultural process however the priorities may not be the same in all partner countries 1. There is, therefore, an urgent need to integrate, co-ordinate, and assess the associated factors on a pan-european level so that a common state of the art understanding emerges to help combat such levels of loss. 1. Operational Framework To address the problem a pan-european integrated approach is required. The operational framework will consider the: Vulnerability of historic buildings to fire Risk assessment methodologies

6 Protection of fabric and content Prevention of fire and fire spread Detection and suppression requirements Training and management of staff Insurance considerations. This will call for the development of: The compilation of appropriate statistical information, including an analysis of expert opinion on the rate of loss of historic buildings to fire2. A common state-of-the-art understanding, and appreciation, of available appropriate countermeasures; this should include concerted action to influence future developments in technology. A relevant understanding in the financial protection of historic properties Guidance on the sensitive integration and retrofitting of countermeasures. 2. Strategic Approach To achieve meaningful results during the life of the Action, a strategic approach needs to be adopted. Through addressing implicit terms and problems to help achieve relevant solutions, work will focus on: Compiling statistical data on the extent of Heritage at risk. Promoting statistical research into the consequences and causes of fires, both major fires and more minor incidences, (e.g. small fires to which the fire brigade are not called or false alarms1) and their impact. Using this risk mapping data gathered as a basis for discussion, establish a dialogue with insurance bodies to seek the development of insurance products more closely tailored to historic buildings. 2 Using data from various published Conference Proceedings 1 These are fires that it will be very hard to find data on. Individual property owners and managers may have to be approached for this information.

7 Establishing a well-documented survey of state of the art technical expertise to assist in influencing future developments in fire protection technology for use in historic buildings. Defining an appropriate range of passive and active technical equipment countermeasures. Considering alternative approaches to assist in stemming current loss levels Organising a series of conferences and/or workshops to develop thinking for effective Risk Assessment techniques and risk mapping using insurance company and other data. Promoting findings and benefits of relevant risk assessment methodologies and property management support. Effecting know-how dissemination through publishing proceedings and recommendations. In particular the results of the COST Actio n shall be targeted to building owners, property managers and conservation professionals to increase awareness and understanding. C. SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME 1. Action Partners With a commitment to strengthen trans-national co-operation in the field, the Action will exchange and enhance experiences to increase awareness in addressing the issues. It will also pool skills to develop and promote best practice. Co-operation will be required across a variety of related organisations to develop and enhance synergies, to mutual gain.links have been established with the American NFPA Cultural Resources Committee during their meetings in Edinburgh in 1999 and Schloss Schonbrunn in Vienna in June As the Action progresses, the potential of achieving North American partnership links also exists through the National Fire Protection Association and the Fire Safety Institute. 2. Management Whilst additional Working Groups may have to be established during the course of the Action, the initial four groups will address the following matters: 2.1. Data, Loss Statistics and Evaluating Risks Data and Fabric analysis

8 Establish available information about the total number of cultural heritage buildings to be considered, their value in cultural and financial terms and the actual risks they are subjected to Compile available statistical data on the extent of the built heritage are at risk Balance the impact of physical interventions and of potential fire damage with the value and significance of the site Identify, analyse, and report on minor fire incidents (where the fire is extinguished without fire brigade attendance, false alarms etc.) Qualitative Risk analysis Establish common definitions of terms to be used1 Investigate the history, (and relevant advantages and disadvantages) of buildings with different types of structure and materials and of installing detection and suppression systems in historic properties. Evaluate the risks involved and issues of risk transference. [NB this will build on the work done under above.] Establish a well-documented survey of the degree of existing usage Consider remoteness of sites and compile an understanding of the impact of response time delay factors Establish a common risk assessment methodology, following a critical review of existing methodologies. Note: it is understood that because historic buildings are so unique, a common methodology may not be applicable Available and Developing Technology Available technology (Fabric and materials) 1 Consider different definitions of risk in Council of Europe Recommendation No R(93)9, ISO 8421 (BS 4422) Standard, Draft ISO Guide 73: Risk Management Vocabulary Guidelines for Use in Standards and ISO/IEC Guide 51: Safety Aspects, Guidelines for their Inclusion in Standards. 2 Taking into account the fire test data that has already been compiled in NFPA Codes and English Heritage s Fire Research Database

9 Establish how historic building construction and traditional materials actually perform under fire conditions, when compared to statutory obligations2. Consider how to obtain a balance between technological and management solutions to counter the effects of fire Consider the provision of available traditional skills and materials that will be required in post-fire situations. Promote research into the consequences of fires and the causes of fires common and how well the building and its construction performed under fire conditions Re-consider appropriateness of applying current codes, standards and risk assessment methods to heritage properties. In particular, consider the application of fire engineering techniques and performance standards 1 to historic buildings Assess provision of means of escape, salvage techniques and access for fire-fighters State-of-the-art solutions Define range of alternative solutions and undertake risk assessments of the technologies in terms of false alarms, benefits and conservation implications Consider relevance of current expertise on new and developing detection and suppression concepts, and technical techniques Demonstrate the benefits of numerical simulation, such as Computational Fluid Dynamics Identify an appropriate range of passive and active technical equipment counter-measures Consider how to minimise the aesthetic and physical impact of the installation of new fire protection technology on historic fabric Consider the prevention of fire growth and smoke spread Consider design issues associated with the extinguishment of fire and smoke release 2.3. Cultural and Financial Value Financial data and risk 1 NFPA 914 now include s both performance standards in addition to standards for compliance. NFPA 909 will include a performance approach in the next edition.

10 Insurance companies have insufficient data to calculate the extent of the real heritage that is at risk. Work with insurance companies to compile statistical data on the annual cost of fire losses to historic buildings, using this information to effect understanding and change Given the total loss of authentic fabric as a result of fire, consider principles of deciding what should be built in its place a recreation of what was there before, or a modern replacement Re-state the importance of historic and cultural authenticity and significance, in particular the importance that historic buildings may have for the community and society Determine how size, value of property, and content impacts on risks Compile relevant statistics to assess correlation between early detection, response time and degree of loss Promote findings and benefits of relevant assessment methodologies and risk assessment gains Promote awareness of the real financial and cultural costs of fire loss to private historic building owners Loss recovery Accumulate, interpret and disseminate the analysis and conclusions of fire loss events, using case study examples, and including their impact on historic authenticity Consider alternative approaches to assist in stemming loss levels, or where these continue to occur, what other approaches may be considered as appropriate Reconsider approach to first-loss insurance, identifying real value and buildin g costs Consider if future insurance premiums might be established on the basis of sound statistical data, of retention needs, replacement requirements or new work Property Management Strategies Support for property managers Devise appropriate management regimes, learning from others in Europe, through studying best practice in policy, regulations, planning, organisation, checklists, training, monitoring, hot work permission etc. As support for property managers, provide models for risk analysis of a building, training of the staff, handling of contents in case of fire Establish a balance between technical and management contributions to combat the effects of fire Consider the management measures that will contribute to the prevention of fire ignition

11 Consider how the complexity of the building may initially dictate search and rescue, and then fire fighting Staff training Offer guidance on handling of contents in the event of fire Suggest organisational arrangements to assist in the implementation of staff training regimes. D. ORGANISATION AND TIMETABLE 1. Responsibilities of the Management Committee: Planning the programme during the first year, determining the frequency of meetings and setting the Work Plan Organising the start of the activities and any annual workshops Building upon existing contacts to facilitate progress, co-ordinating joint activities with other bodies and intra-national networks Exploring possibilities for wider participation and information exchange Planning, integrating and drafting the Intermediate and Final Reports, and the dissemination of the results of the action through seminars etc. Individual Members will also be responsible for providing individual annual progress reports in their own countries. 2. Responsibilities of the Working Groups: Determining Membership by available appropriate expertise Progressing the topic(s) under investigation Planning topics and frequency of meetings to follow the Management Committee direction and timetable Compiling and drafting annual reports, and section reports called for in support of the Action's Intermediate and Final reports Supporting technical and scientific seminars and workshops, and the final Symposium, as planned. 3. Evaluation of Progress

12 The programme progress will be monitored by means of brief annual reports from each participating partner. These will describe the results of research obtained through concerted action. The Management Committee will prepare an intermediate report after 2 years of joint activity. This report will be presented to the COST Technical Committee for their review and to the COST Senior Officials Committee for information. A final report will be prepared at the end of the Action to inform non-participants about the results. It is anticipated that Action participants will present reviews and progre ss reports for publication in International Journals, and that related papers will be presented at appropriate conferences, during the duration of the programme. It may also be necessary to undertake a programme of topic-specific Short Term Scientific Missions in support of the Action. To conclude the Action a final Symposium will be held to review the results. 4. Timetable The programme will run for four years and consist of four stages: 4.1. Inventory After the first meeting of the Management Committee a detailed inventory of on going research and existing plans of the four participating joint projects groups will be made. This will result in a discussion document to allow further detailed planning of the Action intentions Collaboration It will be evident which aspects of the project are closely linked to, and would benefit from, other joint activities. Researchers and participants will establish and continue their joint collaborative projects to exchange recent research results. It may be appropriate to explore wider collaboration with other countries during this stage Intermediate Draft Progress Report

13 An intermediate draft progress report will be prepared after two years for consideration by the Management Committee Evaluation and Final Report This final phase will begin after three years and involve the full evaluation of the obtained results over the previous three years. This may include the organisation of a symposium for all participants at the end of the process. The final report will be submitted to the COST Technical Committee for scientific assessment and to the COST Senior Officials Committee for information. 5. Summary Timetable E. ECONOMIC DIMENSION The following COST countries have actively participated in the preparation of the Action or otherwise indicated their interest: Austria, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom. On the basis of national estimates provided by the representatives of these countries, the economic dimension of the activities to be carried out under the Action has been estimated, in 2001 prices, at roughly Euro 10 million. This estimate is valid under the assumption that all the countries mentioned above but no other countries will participate in the Action. Any departure from this will change the total cost accordingly. G. DISSEMINATION PLAN 1. Users and Beneficiaries A variety of end users and beneficiaries can be identified. These include: Owners Public asset managers Official bodies

14 Fire brigades and fire authorities Fire industry equipment manufacturers and suppliers Professional and technical bodies Building and artefact conservation interests Insurance companies Heritage bodies and organisations Tourist industry The beneficiaries will also include the various individual historic buildings themselves, the national physical identities that aggregate into the European patrimony, and the international cultural heritage at large. 2. Mode of Dissemination Dissemination of the results will be through appropriate websites, publications, conferences and seminars as the Action proceeds. Intermediate and final reports will also be submitted. Moreover, the following actions will be undertaken, in order to promote and disseminate knowledge and expertise gathered by the Action: All research initiatives noted or undertaken by members of this COST Action will be noted on the English Heritage Fire Research Database, providing a central www access point. Promote and disseminate relevant knowledge and expertise to owners and managers of public and private historic building assets through national routes. Identify and focus on target audiences to promote study results. Organise a series of "targeted" conferences and workshops to develop effective Risk Assessment activities Devise, implement and promote staff training programmes in conjunction with fire brigades, recognising building use and functions of installed equipment Promote any beneficial, emerging fire management techniques Integrate disaster and salvage planning considerations. 3. Accommodation of east-west knowledge transfer between Action Partner countries Accommodate increased demand for know-how transfer throughout Europe.

15 Create technical and risk assessment guidance to advise on reducing installation impact on building fabric as part of general repair programmes, including for example: suppression and detection apparatus smoke and heat extraction water supply needs emergency power requirements creating access and egress, and positioning signage salvage equipment usage and storage Effect know-how dissemination through arranging conferences open to those from the east, by publishing proceedings and the Action concluding recommendations Determine, devise and promote self-help techniques./.