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Building Cladding Fire Audit / Risk Assessment

Façade fires, which spread along the exterior of buildings, continue to pose a serious challenge to building fire safety risk assessment professionals. In the UAE, where high-rise and mixed-use buildings dominate the skyline, the risk of external fire spread—especially from combustible cladding materials—is a growing concern.
Global incidents involving combustible cladding have resulted in significant property damage, legal disputes and even loss of life. In the UAE, this issue is particularly critical due to the prevalence of Aluminium Composite Panels (ACP) and other thermoplastic based claddings used for aesthetics and thermal efficiency.
When these cladding materials ignite, they can contribute to rapid vertical and horizontal fire spread increasing danger for occupants and complicating firefighting efforts. As a result, insurers are becoming more risk-averse often increasing premiums or denying coverage where high-risk materials are involved.

Your Trusted Fire Risk Assessment Consultant in the UAE

At Vortex Fire, we are recognised as a trusted Fire Risk Assessment Consultant offering expert cladding fire risk assessments and fire audit services in the UAE. With a detailed and scientific approach, we evaluate the fire performance of building exteriors and support our clients in ensuring full code compliance and life safety.

Our Three-Stage Approach to Cladding Fire Risk Assessments in the UAE

Stage 1: Initial Review & Screening

Our fire audit services in the UAE begin with a review of available as-built documentation and an on-site inspection. This helps us identify the extent of cladding use and assess any existing building fire safety risk assessment strategies.
If combustible cladding is suspected—or if there’s no documentation available—small-scale lab tests are conducted on collected material samples. These non-invasive laboratory screening tests include:
  • FTIR-ATR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy with Attenuated Reflectance)
  • SEM/EDS (Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy)
These tests help determine the material’s chemical makeup and fire behaviour. A preliminary cladding fire risk assessment report is then generated to guide the next steps.
If the initial review reveals potential hazards we proceed with a detailed quantitative assessment. Using engineering analysis and laboratory test results, our Fire Risk Assessment Consultant team determines the rate of fire spread, Available Safe Egress Time (ASET), and Required Safe Egress Time (RSET) across each floor of the building.
This step is critical for determining evacuation strategies and the overall fire risk associated with external cladding systems.
Our in-depth cladding fire risk assessments allow stakeholders—including building owners, facility managers, and developers—to make informed decisions based on data-driven evaluations.
If unsafe cladding is confirmed, we help implement corrective measures. As part of our fire audit services in the UAE, Vortex Fire provides technical oversight, design reviews, and site inspections to support safe and compliant remedial work.
Our team collaborates with construction teams, consultants, and Civil Defence authorities to ensure fire performance requirements are achieved. Recommendations encompass short-term solutions (such as fire barriers), medium-term retrofits, and long-term material replacements, based on our findings from the building fire safety risk assessment.

Selecting the right Fire Risk Assessment Consultant in the UAE is crucial for ensuring safety, meeting regulatory requirements, and obtaining insurance protection. At Vortex Fire we combine international best practices with UAE specific code knowledge to deliver actionable, cost effective solutions.

 

What sets us apart:

  • Expertise in cladding fire risk assessments across high-rise and commercial buildings
  • Scientific approach backed by internationally accepted fire testing standards
  • Strong collaboration with the UAE Civil Defence for approval processes
  • End-to-end support, from assessment to remediation
  • Recognised leader in fire audit services in the UAE

Ensure your building is protected against façade fire hazards with our professional building fire safety risk assessment and cladding fire risk assessments. Contact Vortex Fire today to schedule a site review and safeguard your property against fire risk.