Compartmentation Works
Critical structural fire protection to divide your building into safety zones, preventing the rapid spread of fire and smoke through internal voids.
Service Overview
At Greensurv, we specialize in Compartmentation Works—the most essential element of a building’s passive fire protection strategy. The goal of compartmentation is to divide a building into "fire-tight" cells using fire-rated walls, floors, and ceilings. This containment strategy ensures that if a fire breaks out, it is restricted to its room of origin for a specific period (usually 30, 60, or 120 minutes), protecting escape routes and preventing a total building loss. Whether you are upgrading an older property to meet the Building Safety Act 2022 or correcting defects found in a fire risk assessment, our team provides the technical expertise to reinforce your building’s internal barriers and restore its life-saving integrity.
Structural Barrier Upgrades & Installation
We strengthen the physical partitions of your building to ensure they can withstand intense heat and prevent "flashover" from one area to another.
Installing or upgrading internal walls using specialized fire-rated boarding (plasterboard or calcium silicate) to achieve required FD ratings.
Installing fire-resistant barriers in expansive roof spaces or floor voids to stop hidden fire spread.
Applying fire-rated sprays or boards to the underside of floors to prevent vertical fire travel between storeys.
Providing solutions that offer both high-level soundproofing and certified fire resistance for multi-occupancy buildings.
Protecting the building's "skeleton" by boarding or coating steel beams so they don't collapse under high temperatures.
Specialized Cavity Barriers & Fire-Stopping
Hidden cavities in walls and ceilings are the most dangerous areas in a fire as they act like chimneys. We install "invisible" safety measures to seal these gaps.
Fitting barriers within external wall cavities and internal voids to block the passage of flames and hot gases.
Installing "intelligent" barriers that allow for normal airflow but snap shut instantly when exposed to heat.
Sealing off vertical shafts where pipes and cables travel to ensure they don't become conduits for smoke.
Using flexible, fire-rated materials to seal gaps in floor slabs and walls that allow for natural building movement.
Fitting certified hatches into fire-rated walls so you can access utilities without compromising the compartment.
Key Benefits
Life Safety Preservation
By containing smoke and fire, compartmentation keeps escape routes clear for longer, significantly reducing the risk to life.
Property Loss Mitigation
Restricting fire to a small area allows fire services to extinguish it more easily, preventing total structural destruction.
Statutory Compliance
Ensure your building meets the strict requirements of Approved Document B (Fire Safety) of the UK Building Regulations.
Insurance Risk Reduction
A well-compartmented building is a lower risk for insurers, which can lead to more favorable premium rates and coverage terms.
Our Process
STEP 01
Compartmentation Mapping
We review your building's Fire Strategy at Greensurv to identify where the fire-rated lines should be and check for any "breaches" in those lines.
STEP 02
Technical Specification
Our experts select the appropriate fire-rated materials—from intumescent coatings to high-density mineral wool based on the required fire resistance time.
STEP 03
Professional Execution
Our trained installers carry out the works, ensuring that every joint and seal is airtight and fire-resistant according to manufacturer instructions.
STEP 04
Quality Assurance & Certification
We provide a comprehensive handover pack, including a Certificate of Conformity and a digital photo log of the works for your compliance records.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is "Compartmentation"?
It is the practice of dividing a building into "compartments" using fire-resistant materials to contain a fire in the area where it starts.
Why is compartmentation often missing in older buildings?
Older buildings were often built under less stringent rules, or original fire walls have been breached by plumbers and electricians over the years without being resealed.
Does this work involve a lot of mess?
While some structural work is required, at Greensurv, we use dust-extraction tools and clean-working practices to ensure minimal disruption to your daily operations.
How long do these fire barriers last?
Once installed, passive fire compartmentation is "permanent" and requires no power or maintenance, provided the barriers are not cut into during future renovations.
How do I know if my building has good compartmentation?
The best way is to book a Passive Fire Protection Survey with us, where we use specialized cameras to look inside your walls and ceilings.