SFPE Foundation announces new research into assessment of sustainable and fire-resilient buildings

Sept. 20, 2022: Gaithersburg, Maryland – The SFPE Foundation has announce the funding of a research award to prepare for future development of risk-informed performance-based tools for the assessment of sustainable and fire-resilient buildings.

SFPE Foundation is a charitable organization focused on enhancing the scientific understanding of fire and its interaction with the natural and built environment.

The research will be led by Brian J. Meacham, PhD, PE, CEng, FIFireE, FSFPE, Managing Principal at Meacham Associates, with support from Håkan Frantzich, PhD, FSFPE, Associate Professor, and Margaret McNamee, PhD, Professor, both with the Division of Fire Safety Engineering at Lund University in Sweden.

The research will involve characterizing the problem, researching and identifying appropriate assessment methods, identifying necessary attributes and requirements for input data, and developing a framework to underpin a risk-informed performance-based assessment methodology. Additional review will focus on consideration of how green attributes and risk factors impact risk assessment, uncertainty treatment, and decision-support methodologies in sustainable and fire resilient buildings. Findings of the study are expected to be published and presented through SFPE and the SFPE Foundation in 2023.

Financing for SFPE Foundation-funded research is provided through the support of donors, including SFPE, SFPE chapters, SFPE members, governmental agencies, leading companies and organizations, and others.

Additional information about the SFPE Foundation, its programs, and this research project is available at sfpe.org/foundation.