- Author
- Raufaste, N. J., Jr.
- Title
- NIST Building and Fire Research Laboratory Projects Summaries, 1995.
- Coporate
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD
- Report
- NIST SP 838-8, August 1995, 213 p.
- Distribution
- Available from Government Printing Office Available from National Technical Information Service
- Keywords
- building technology | building control | coatings | combustion | flammability | computer integrated construction | concretes | earthquakes | earthquake engineering | fire dynamics | fire hazards | fire physics | fire safety | heat transfer | moisture | indoor air quality | lighting | quality assurance | refrigeration | smoke dynamics | structural performance | suppression | test procedures | toxicity | fire research
- Abstract
- Construction is one of the Nation's largest industries. In 1994, total construction amounted to about $847 billion which is 12.5% of U.S. GDP (new construction put in place amounted to about $508 billion and renovation contributed about $339 billion). U.S. construction accounts for more than 10 million jobs. Fires and natural disasters destroy a significant portion of constructed facilities every year. Costs of fire safety and fire losses exceed $128 billion a year. Natural disasters cause tens of billions of dollars annually. For example, since 1993, the United States experienced significant property losses from the Mid-West Floods; Hurricanes Andrew and Iniki; the January 1994 Northridge Earthquake; the numerous west coast wildfires that resulted in significant damage to the built environment; among other natural phenomena that occur each year. The quality of constructed facilities directly affects the productivity of the U.S. building and fire communities and affects the safety and quality of life of all constructed facilities. Over 60% of the nation's wealth is invested in constructed facilities. This report summarizes BFRL's research for 1995. The report is arranged by its research programs: structural engineering, materials engineering, mechanical and environmental systems, fire safety and engineering, fire science, and applied economics. Each summary lists the project title, the BFRL point of contact, sponsor, research, and recent results. BFRL's mission is to increase the usefulness, safety, and economy of constructed facilities and reduce the human and economic costs of unwanted fire in buildings.