Safety in the event of fire and sustainable building: Application of CPR Energy cables

A sustainable building starts with a fire safe building, which is why it can be argued that fire safety is a sustainable practice. For this reason, the main objective of this thesis is to analyse fire safety in buildings, paying particular attention to electrical systems, which are one of the main causes of fire, due to their large quantity and spread throughout the building. By carefully designing and implementing electrical and electronic communication systems in a workmanlike manner with safe and quality components, the obscuration of rooms invaded by opaque smoke and the spread of gases harmful to people and/or property could be reduced or almost totally eliminated. The main objective of this thesis is to analyse the fire behaviour of LV Energy cables designed to be laid in new building constructions in the field of "Safety in the event of fire" as provided for by Regulation (EU) n. 305/2011, in compliance with the European CPR regulation, which has transformed engineering design. Significant research has been carried out on the types of material to be used and in guaranteeing high electrical and mechanical performance, with particular attention to fire behaviour and environmental sustainability. This thesis also aims at analysing sustainable development goals- SDGs, with an effective approach to implement the sustainable principles to construction and to integrate the necessary product characteristics and indicators in the regulatory framework of the CPR (Construction Products Regulation). Reducing the amount or severity of fires can reduce the waste of materials and pollution into the environment. It is important to consider the life cycle of a building when examining sustainability concepts, but most important is the use of natural resources and implement innovative sustainability strategies during its construction. The present thesis is the result of a cooperation with Prysmian S.p.A. (company where I have worked as a engineer since 2017), R&D Cable Design department of Milan, world leader in cable manufacturer, energy solutions, telecom cables and system industry and Politecnico of Turin. Prysmian’s sustainability policy in based on different pillar and the CPR promotes both fire safety and production of “green” products, considering the environmental impact of the construction industry and investigating the best environmental solution including design, installation and operation. This is why Prysmian Group actively contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030, by implementing the CPR regulation. This is part of the Industry, innovation and Infrastructure (Goal 9), by developing innovative products and solutions that support continuous improvement of the sustainability of telecommunications and energy infrastructures. The aim of this thesis work is to illustrate how the use of CPR B2ca cables allows not only to improve the safety of people but also environmental sustainability. In this thesis work, new design and material research studies created for the construction of cables with euroclass B2ca, that it is required for very high fire risk environments, will be analyzed.