High Rise Fire Safety: Recent Changes and Forthcoming Developments

Join CCHRB, or the Chicago Committee on High Rise Buildings, for their annual seminar designed for architects, engineers, designers, contractors, subcontractors, developers, building owners, property managers, building officials, fire officials, and those involved in the planning, design, construction, and operation of buildings of all types and heights, especially “high-rise” buildings.

This event will be a comprehensive overview of the approaches to recent challenges posed by tall and supertall buildings in the rapidly evolving field of Fire and Life Safety; presented by national and internationally recognized leaders in the field.

To learn more, please view the 2023 Seminar Announcement.

Learning Objectives

1. Attendees will be presented with an outline of the progress in high rise fire safety over the past fifty years, both domestic and foreign; as well as a review how building and fire codes have evolved, and how changes in technology have facilitated the broader use of fire protection systems,
2. Information on notable building fires involving the exterior facades, the history of passive requirements outlined in the major building codes that address facade materials, the confusing world of fire tests and why some of the new façade materials are contributing to these fires.
3. The physics behind stack effect and the various passive and active means of controlling smoke propagation in tall buildings.
4. The unique challenges that tall timber buildings present, and the approaches developed to satisfy regulatory requirements and the need for fire safety.

AIA Chicago is a co-sponsor of this event, alongside others.