Why early technical engagement is the key to strengthening façade fire safety in India

As India’s construction sector continues to expand and high-rise, mixed-use and complex façade designs become more common, ensuring robust fire safety performance has become a top priority for real estate. Early engagement with experienced technical specialists is proving essential, especially for life-safety critical products such as cavity barriers and firestops. However, a common obstacle to seeking this support is cost concerns: projects are often working with tight budgets and, with the lack of regulatory enforcement to ensure fire safety is not compromised, additional support can seem like an unnecessary expense for developers, unless driven by equity sales where investors seek assurance that their assets are protected. Fortunately, many firestop manufacturers offer technical and site support services free of charge to their customers. As experts in their products and their applications, their insights can provide greater assurance that their products are not only being used in compliant ways but will support resilient long-term building safety.

Solid specifications

High quality product information is the starting point for any successful firestop and cavity barrier solution specification. With various manufacturers offering products tested to different standards—and with national codes not always specifying which options are most appropriate—the responsibility often falls to the building or system designer to carry out thorough due diligence. They must ensure that the chosen safety measures are suitable for the intended application and that they have full confidence in the performance claims being made.

This process often involves reviewing a range of product information which is usually spread across a whole host of different documents, such as technical datasheets, independent test certificates, third-party listings, standard details, and more. In addition, acquiring these documents from manufacturers and distributors, or collating them all from their websites, can be a time-consuming and laborious process. That’s why some manufacturers of life safety critical products have created their own digital specification packs for façade consultants and designers, architects, fire engineers, developers and specifiers, providing quick and convenient access to a single source of up-to-date technical information for straightforward and safer specifications and submittals.

Siderise and Allarch provided expert advice and in-depth training on the passive fire protection needs of the façade.

Beyond documentation, many manufacturers also offer expert guidance through specialist technical engineers. Their input helps shape strong, defensible specifications that not only meet compliance requirements in India but also clearly justify the technical rationale behind key design choices. This support may involve reviewing technical drawings and producing technical overlays that highlight best practice detailing, helping with product selection, or recommending/arranging bespoke fire testing for project specific interfaces or material combinations.

Carrying support through to construction

A robust specification is only meaningful if executed correctly onsite. Incorrect fixings, wrong orientation of fire barriers, insufficient safing compression, variations in spray sealant film thicknesses or using components alongside untested combinations can compromise fire performance.

As projects grow in scale and complexity, often spanning multiple storeys or phased construction schedules, manufacturer support during installation is essential. Some passive fire protection manufacturers can provide free onsite product training, including practical demonstrations and benchmark mock ups to show the expected standards of installation they need to achieve. These should be scheduled at regular intervals in the project schedule, ensuring that successive installation teams all receive the right training, preventing costly remedial works later down the line.

This can be further supported with regular site visits and inspections to catch issues before the works progress. These can be carried out in person, which can be particularly useful on large or complex façades where multiple trades and interfaces are involved. Alternatively, for more standardised systems, some firestopping manufacturers have created their own digital inspection apps. Contractors and consultants can capture images and complete data fields using a smartphone or tablet, generating instant reports that they can share with the rest of the project team and which can be reviewed remotely by technical teams. This accelerates feedback, simplifies documentation, and helps teams identify and address issues before they escalate.

These reports can then be handed over to the developer or building owner at the end of the project to support building approvals, demonstrate due diligence, and inform future maintenance, inspection, or modification works.

A collaborative path to safer façades

Across India’s rapidly expanding built environment, the importance of early manufacturer engagement cannot be overstated. From helping shape specifications and consolidating evidence, to providing bespoke technical guidance, onsite training, and inspection support, manufacturers play an invaluable role in strengthening passive fire protection strategies for façade systems.

Educating installation contractors to minimise errors and highlight incorrect assumptions is a standard offering without additional project costs.

Engaging with fire protection manufacturers at design stage can help mitigate problems before work begins onsite.

Free manufacturer technical support can help to embed technical expertise from concept through to installation. This can help specifiers and façade contractors to ensure compliance, reduce risk, and contribute to the delivery of buildings that are safe, resilient, and supported by a clear, well-maintained body of evidence.

Case study: DNR Altitude, Bangalore

Completed in 2025, DNR Altitude is a Grade A+ commercial office in the emerging business district, Yeshwanthpur, designed with both occupier and planetary health in mind as it seeks to achieve WELL Gold certification. A key part of this approach was the high-performance glass curtain wall façade that envelopes the entire 20-storey, 768,524 sq.ft structure. This air-tight finish not only helps to maintain stable air temperatures within but grants occupants access to an abundance of natural light proven to support health, wellbeing and productivity in office spaces.

For compartmentation, Siderise CW-FS120 Firestop was specified to seal the void between the floor slab and curtain wall at the soffit, providing fire resistance and delivering a high-performance code-compliant passive fire protection solution— a key priority for its global developer, Hines India Real Estate Pvt., Ltd.

Mohammed Fakhruzzaman, Associate Director - Construction for Hines stated:

DNR Altitude was designed as a next‑generation commercial development, so high‑specification building products and materials were essential - particularly to meet the project’s stringent fire‑safety requirements. It’s one thing to specify the right product, but incorrect specification or installation is a real point of failure, and that’s where Siderise truly made a difference.

The quality and consistency of their support throughout the project contributed significantly to the successful delivery of the CW‑FS120 firestopping system for the curtain walling.

Clear, practical guidance, prompt and responsive communication, and professional on‑site support were all instrumental in ensuring correct installation and full compliance. We would confidently recommend Siderise for complex façade interfaces and high‑quality passive fire protection.

Siderise’s distribution partner, Allarch, specialists in architectural building materials, were involved with the project throughout. Working with Siderise Technical Services, both parties supported the specification process by supplying product details, certification with respect to UL ratings, and a detailed technical report. Once on site, Siderise Site Services and Allarch provided product installation training and oversaw a benchmark installation to educate operatives in the correct methods for achieving robust compartmentation.

The team also assisted with a thorough inspection post completion of works, certifying that the installation adhered with all their recommendations.

Explore more case studies and discover more about passive fire protection at www.siderise.com

Siderise and Allarch spend hundreds of hours each year training installers onsite and inspecting their work to ensure installations are carried out correctly.