- Ignis Fire Testing has launched Africa’s largest privately-owned fire testing facility in Cape Town to address the growing need for fire safety testing.
- The facility collaborates with Stellenbosch University to support fire engineering research and education, aiming to improve fire safety standards across the continent.
- This new facility offers a wide range of fire safety tests and is positioned to play a significant role in addressing the challenges posed by climate change, green energy, and urban development.
A host of fire-related challenges are set to hit the world over the coming years, with climate change, rising poverty, and green energy some of the most pressing issues.
Fire testing is at the heart of a fire-safe environment; yet minimal modern testing facilities exist in Africa to meet this demand. This is the reason behind the launch of the privately-owned Ignis Fire Testing, which is stepping up to fill the gap (and save lives in the process).
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Ignis Fire Testing’s expanded laboratory and workshop was officially launched on Monday, 19 August, in Blackheath, Cape Town, and attended by numerous industry stakeholders. This multi-million Rand investment is the largest known privately-owned fire testing facility in Africa and boasts collaboration with Stellenbosch University’s Fire Engineering Research Group (FireSUN). To limit costly imports and boost innovation, all their equipment, software and control systems are created in-house.
Dirk Streicher, civil engineer and owner of the new 1500-square-metre facility, featuring an 18-metre-high roof, says fire testing is a neglected field in South Africa. “We saw the gap in the market for local fire testing.”
The country’s limited capacity for fire testing raises safety concerns for everyone.
Research and Development
Ignis Fire Testing collaborates with Stellenbosch University’s Fire Engineering Research Group (FireSUN), led by Prof. Richard Walls. They work closely with students and staff, granting access to their testing facilities for research purposes, supporting post-graduate degrees, and co-authoring papers that push the boundaries of fire safety engineering.
Walls, often seen in the media as an expert on civil engineering-related incidents, praised the university’s collaboration with the test facility. “Today is a very exciting day for fire engineering in the industry. Moving forward, testing is critical in our industry, but we also see how much there is to do. So this is the first step,” Walls said at the opening. He emphasised the importance of fire testing and fire engineering.
He is very positive about Ignis Fire Testing’s role and its’ convenient location. “With the University of Stellenbosch now producing students in Fire Engineering, it would not surprise me if we see the Cape become the centre of excellence. We have a base here to serve the African continent.”
International praises
Dr Brian Meacham, Director of Risk and Regulatory Consulting of Crux Consulting LLC in Shrewsbury, USA, was one of the guest speakers. Meacham is regarded as a global expert in Fire Engineering, having worked for the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank in policy development. He highlighted the importance of Ignis Fire Testing’s laboratory to a fire-safe environment.
Laboratories like Ignis Fire Testing provide data for engineering analyses, he says. “Everything starts with the data. We can’t run engineering models without good data. If we’re running engineering models without good data, it’s not good engineering.”
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“I applaud the work that is being done, and I really applaud the relationship with the university because it is a way to really bring things together and make a super important contribution to the future.”
Meacham concluded by stressing the important role of Ignis Fire Testing,
“I’m just really happy to be here and see what I consider a significant advancement globally for more fire testing. And to have it here, in this region, in South Africa and to have it as a resource across the continent is great.”
Available fire tests
The facility offers an extensive range of fire safety tests, adhering to South African and international standards, including ISO codes. Their capabilities include fire resistance tests, a set of reaction-to-fire classification tests, cone calorimetry confirmation testing, room corner and gas suppression tests, façade tests, and supplementary and auxiliary fire equipment (such as sprinklers) tests. The facility is equipped to assess various products, such as lithium-ion batteries and solar panels, and can adapt to special requirements beyond standard procedures.
Streicher emphasised that the facility has the capacity to expand as the demand grows.
