Understanding Combustible Construction Materials

In the fifth session of AIG Academy Connected the theme was Combustible Construction Materials. The event was hosted by Michael Jensen, Branch Manager AIG Denmark and General Manager AIG Nordics. Mikael Karlberg, Senior Account Engineer at AIG, and Joakim Thörnqvist, Senior Account Engineer at AIG, presented the topic.

As we try to reach the Paris Agreement, buildings form an integral part of that. There are requirements for a lower energy consumption, and a need to find alternative materials to steel and cement, whose production contributes to 13 percent of all CO₂ emisisons. However, many of the alternative materials are seen as combustible, making the use of them more complicated.

Each year, 32,000 fires result in SEK 6 billion for the insurance industry in Sweden. The most common cause behind fire is short circuit in electrical equipment, a cause that will most likely only increase in the future due to the increased electrification. Other risks are solar panels that also increase in numbers, and multistory parkings, as cars grow bigger and more and more plastics are used as automotive parts.

“Currently three of the most used combustible materials in the market are foam plastics, aluminium composite facade panels and wood. These are great materials, as long as you know how to work with them. It is also important to be aware of the fact that meeting building regulations does not mean that your building is well protected. It is good to be aware of the risks that lies in your property,” says Mikael Karlberg and Joakim Thörnqvist.

There are several easy ways to reduce the risks associated with combustible materials. Watch the full webinar through the link below to find out how and learn more about the subject.