In the UK, we’re lucky to be surrounded by some of the finest historical and listed buildings in the world. But while they might be easy on the eye, ensuring these buildings comply with modern fire regulations can be difficult. In this blog post, we’ll explore the unique challenges of installing fire doors in historical and listed buildings, as well as the solutions that are available to you.

What defines a historical building?

First things first, it’s important to understand what defines a historical building. According to the Building Regulations 2010, historical buildings include any building that meets the following descriptions:

• Listed buildings.
• Buildings situated in conservation areas.
• Buildings of architectural or historical interest, which are referred to as a material consideration in a local authority’s development plan.
• Buildings of architectural or historical interest within national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty and world heritage sites.
• Vernacular buildings of traditional form and construction.
  

The threat of fire to historical buildings

All buildings are of course at risk from fire. But with their older (sometimes more flammable) construction materials and traditional building methods, historical and listed properties are particularly vulnerable. Many of these properties are also not used for their original purpose, meaning more often than not, they haven’t been built with escape routes or fire control in mind.

Ingval Maxwell, a consultant in architectural conservation, estimates that globally, about one historic building falls victim to fire each day. In 2019, a devastating fire broke out in the roof space of Notre-Dame in Paris, resulting in more than one billion dollars’ worth of damage. More recently, Copenhagen’s 17^th Century stock exchange building went up in flames, causing its spire to collapse and irreparable damage to renaissance paintings and historic artefacts.

The UK is also no stranger to historic building fires. In 1986, two fires engulfed Hampton Court Palace and York Minster, prompting a working party on fire safety in historic buildings. Then in 1992, a fire at Windsor Castle led to the Bailey enquiry – an investigation and subsequent report laying out recommendations for preventing fire in all historical buildings.

In a 2021 article, Charlie Harris, the national fire advisor for Historic England, said that fire was the greatest single risk to our cultural heritage sites in the UK. He believes that it’s up to everyone – owners of heritage buildings, regulators, advisors and architects – to work together to preserve our nation’s heritage.

He goes on to say: “We must learn to understand that fire protection measures, which may be required to save life and property, will not always mean the character of the building is ruined. Conservation officers will have to accept that to preserve our history, some reversible measures and minor damage to the fabric is inevitable to preserve it for future generations.”

Which regulations and laws apply to historical buildings?

Historical buildings that are listed or in conservation areas, are protected by law in the UK. Because of this, it’s an offence to carry out any work to them without getting the right consent. As a fire door installer or inspector, it’s therefore crucial to understand what can and can’t be done without permission, and when it’s necessary to bring in a specialist for advice.

Building regulations and preservation guidance  

• The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 is a key piece of legislation in the UK that provides specific protection for buildings and areas of special architectural or historic interest. It means that owners of listed buildings must obtain consent for any alterations, and they must maintain their properties in a way that preserves their historic character.
• The Town and Country Planning Act 1990 governs land use planning and development. It includes provisions for the protection and conservation of historic buildings and other areas of architectural or historic interest.

• Created by the National Heritage Act of 1983, English Heritage is a charitable organisation that protects over 400 historic buildings, monuments and sites across the country. Its aim is to make sure historic sites are expertly cared for, so that they can be enjoyed by future generations.

• Founded in 1985, the National Trust is another charity which cares for heritage and country areas in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Its focus is on preserving important sites and opening them up to members of the public.
  

Fire safety regulations and guidance

Historical buildings must comply with fire safety regulations just like any other building in the UK. However, due to the unique nature of historical buildings and the focus on conservation and preservation, flexibility does apply in some cases.

• Building Regulations 2010 (Part B): Part B covers fire safety matters within and around buildings. These regulations apply to new construction work, so don’t require that old buildings are brought up to standard. However, where new work is being carried out to existing buildings, such as alterations or extensions, the regulations do apply.

• Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005: Under this regulation, a Competent Person must conduct a fire risk assessment. For historic buildings, the assessment should be done by someone experienced in heritage sites, as these come with unique risks requiring specialised expertise. The order also makes it a legal requirement to ensure that fire-resisting doors are correctly installed and adequately maintained so they are fit for purpose.

• BS 9999: Code of Practice for Fire Safety in the Design, Management and Use of Buildings: This standard provides a more flexible approach to fire safety, integrating fire safety engineering principles with building design and management practices. It’s mostly aimed at modern buildings but does include provisions that can be applied to historical buildings.

Historic England – the government’s statutory adviser on the historic environment – provides helpful advice and specific guidance on fire safety in historic buildings.

Local authorities and fire and rescue services also provide guidance and have the authority to enforce fire safety regulations. London Fire Brigade, for example, has a specialist heritage team, which provides tailored advice to those who own or manage historical properties.

Challenges and solutions

With so many regulations and pieces of guidance at play, including preservation laws and fire safety standards, it’s easy to see why historical and listed buildings present unique challenges to fire door inspectors and installers. Thankfully though, there are measures you and your client can take to ensure the building is not only protected from a heritage point of view, but from a fire safety point of view too.

Balancing fire safety with preservation

One of the main challenges when it comes to historical buildings is balancing fire safety with protecting the historic fabric of the property. Historic England’s ‘Guide to the Fire Resistance of Historic Timber Panel Doors’ is hugely useful here. The guide aims to clarify the process of deciding if changes are necessary and what can be done to satisfy all points of view – including enforcement authorities.

Where modern fire doors can’t be fitted for whatever reason, it’s critical that any existing heritage doors are of solid construction, kept in good condition and fit well into their frame.

Custom fire doors for historical buildings

Well fitted and well-maintained fire doors are one of the most effective ways of protecting historic buildings from the spread of fire and smoke. But some conservation officers can be apprehensive to fit fire doors because they’re worried about damaging the building or altering the aesthetic.

Thankfully, there are several skilled fire door manufacturers who specialise in making fire doors that blend seamlessly with a building’s historical aesthetic, while meeting modern fire safety standards.

These doors use materials that match the original doors as authentically as possible, as well as discreet hardware and fire safety technologies. The core of the door is usually made from fire-resistant materials to give the necessary fire resistance without compromising the character of the building.

Like with all fire doors, custom doors for historical buildings will need to have a certificate to confirm their compliance with fire safety regulations. And once fitted, they’ll need to be regularly inspected to ensure they’re still working as they should.

Compliance and collaboration with other parties

Making sure that fire doors meet both safety and preservation standards within historical properties can be challenging as a fire door installer or inspector.

That’s why it’s crucial to learn all about building and preservation laws, and bring in specialists when you need to.

Close collaboration with conservation officers and architects is also essential. By working together in the assessment and planning stages, coming up with sensitive design solutions and communicating regularly, you can ensure that these historic buildings are both safe and preserved for generations to come.

Successful fire door installations in historic buildings

Balancing fire safety with heritage preservation might be challenging, but it can be done. Here are two examples of historical buildings that have successfully integrated fire doors without compromising the fabric of the building:

Palace of Westminster

Also known as the Houses of Parliament, The Palace of Westminster is an important historical building in London and one of the most recognised buildings in the world.

In 2020, the building underwent a three-and-a-half-year restoration project, which involved upgrading all 800 of its fire doors to bring them up to standard.

Because of the building’s historic nature, fire safety measures had to be discreet. The company responsible for upgrading the fire doors came up with clever solutions, such as enhancing existing glass or putting glass panels on top of stained glass to act as a fire safety barrier.

Colditz Castle

Colditz Castle is a popular tourist destination in Germany, famous for its architecture and the role it played during the Second World War. Due to its use as a tourist destination, museum and youth hostel, it required high level fire protection which needed to be balanced with the historical preservation requirements of the building.

They installed all-glass fire doors in the passageways. Thanks to their transparency, they were integrated unobtrusively into the building so there was no problem in getting approval from the preservation authorities. The result was a uniform look across all the internal doors, whether they were fire doors or not.

UK Fire Door Training – Your Partner in Fire Safety

Here at UK Fire Door Training, we’re on a mission build a safer UK, one fire door at a time. Our FireQual and CPD endorsed courses have been specially designed by fire safety experts to equip you with the skills and knowledge you need to install, maintain and inspect fire doors with confidence.

All our courses take place online, allowing you to learn at your own pace from wherever you’re based. We also go the extra mile to ensure our courses are user-friendly and cater to people with special educational needs, making sure every trainee gets the attention they deserve.

Find out more about our mission. Or browse our online fire door training courses here.