The digital engineering team at multi-discipline property and construction consultant Ridge & Partners has won the Constructing Excellence SECBE Award in the Digital Construction category for their unique BIM firestopping solution that addresses all M&E services passing through fire rated walls and floors.
The ground-breaking innovation reduces the risks and costs associated with fire safety regulations, which are now subject to closer scrutiny following the findings of the Hackitt Review in response to the Grenfell disaster.
Ridge was awarded the accolade for their unique ‘Model Firestopping Review’ designed to test the compliance of building designs against regulations and test data, using BIM technology.
The concept was initially developed by Ridge in collaboration with Laing O’Rourke and Rockwool on a major project for a large automotive client. The process uses BIM modelling to check compliance of firestopping for mechanical and electrical services passing through walls and floors. It reduces the risk of buildings not complying with fire regulations which require firestop products and the building services passing through them to be installed in accordance with laboratory tested data.
Brent Rees, partner and head of digital engineering at Ridge, said: “We have worked closely with our clients to help address this vital issue and more intelligently demonstrate compliance with the regulations. In doing so, we have created a completely new way of using digital technology to reduce the risk and cost for our clients that would be incurred if they did not comply with the regulations. Most importantly, in the long term we are helping to save lives in the event of a building fire.”
