The newly released final report of Grenfell tragedy of 2017 serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of fire safety in the design, construction, and regulation of both new buildings and the retrofitting of existing buildings. The North American Modern Building Alliance (NAMBA) believes fire safety in the built environment is a shared responsibility of the entire value chain involved in the design, construction, regulation, management, and use of buildings and surrounding areas, which is anchored in the five common principles of fire safety: Prevention, Detection and Communication, Occupant Protection, Containment or Compartmentation, and Extinguishment. These principles must guide every aspect of the built environment to help ensure that such a tragedy never occurs again.
Strong, well-enforced building codes are essential to constructing safe and durable buildings. It is imperative that all stakeholders, including builders, regulators, and policymakers, work together to help ensure that these codes are not only robust but also consistently applied and rigorously enforced.
NAMBA will carefully review the findings and recommendations provided in the final report of the Grenfell Inquiry to increase our understanding of the event and continue our work to contribute to a safer, more resiliently built environment across North America.
Our thoughts remain with the victims, survivors, and their families, and we extend our deepest condolences for the loss and suffering endured.
Media Contact:
Matthew Kastner
