If you’re designing or building a multi residential building or commercial site that has openings in a fire rated wall that are within 3 meters of the boundary to allow for natural ventilation and light in Brisbane, you need to be fully across Crimsafe Fire Attenuation screens. Whether you’re looking for a quick reference guide for yourself, or something you can use when talking to stakeholders, this guide covers some points to remember.
What Are Crimsafe Fire Attenuation Screens?
Crimsafe Fire Attenuation screens are high-performance woven Stainless steel mesh screens fitted to windows on unit blocks and commercial buildings to limit the spread of radiant heat between structures.
They are not a Deemed to Satisfy solution under the National Construction Code (NCC) and are an alternate solution that is called up by a Fire Engineer in a document called a Fire Engineering Repot or FER.
They’re not merely standard security screens repurposed for the job. They’re engineered to perform under thermal stress while maintaining structural integrity.
How Fire Attenuations Screens Work
The mechanics are straightforward; by slowing the transfer of heat from one building to another, they buy critical time and help contain the spread of the fire.
- The Crimsafe high-tensile 0.9 mm stainless steel woven mesh acts as a radiant heat barrier, absorbing and deflecting heat rather than allowing it to pass directly through the opening.
- The framing and fixing system must be robust enough to stay intact under sustained heat exposure, the guidelines of how they are to be install should be contained in the FER
- The entire assembly, frame and mesh together, must be tested and assessed to demonstrate actual performance under fire conditions.
Do not just contact your security screen supplier and ask for stainless steel security screens when fire attenuation screens are required, you will end the work product.
When are Crimsafe Fire Attenuation Screens required?
When designing or building a multi residential building or commercial site that has openings in a fire rated wall that allow for the passage of air and light to increase the energy efficiency and livability of the project, Crimsafe Fire Attenuation screen are a preferred solution. Remember, they are called up as an alternate solution by a Fire Engineer
Specifically, you’ll encounter them in these scenarios:
- Buildings with openings within 3 meters of the property boundaries. These can be windows to increase the natural ventilation and livability of the room or openings for ventilation in a car park.
- Mixed-use commercial and residential developments. These builds often have complex boundary relationships between tenancies and structures, making Fire and radiant heat attenuation an ideal solution to opening in close proximity to fire exit paths or fire stairs.
- Strata and multi-unit commercial complexes. Shared walls and close-boundary construction between units frequently triggers a solution when openings are within 6 metres of separate occupancies.
- Renovations and extensions on existing commercial sites. When an extension brings an opening closer to a boundary than the original structure, compliance requirements follow.
Your Certifier or Fire Engineer will specify the exact requirements, which you can bring to us at Vincent Security to ensure you’re getting the right product installed.
Why Choose Crimsafe for Fire Attenuation
Not every security screen qualifies as a fire attenuation solution. Crimsafe does.
Crimsafe’s commercial fire attenuation screens are manufactured and installed to the requirements in the FER to site specific requirements; this isn’t a product that was modified to tick a compliance box. It was developed and tested specifically for multi residential developments and commercial applications where performance is non-negotiable.
Here’s what sets Crimsafe Fire Attenuation screens apart on a commercial build:
- Patented Screw-Clamp technology. The mesh is physically clamped into the frame, not just tensioned or glued. This means the assembly stays intact under thermal stress, far better than standard screen construction.
- High-tensile 0.9 mm stainless steel mesh. The same mesh that stops forced entry also acts as the barrier that limits radiant heat transfer. Two critical performance requirements, one product.
- Crimsafe Fire Attenuation products carry documentation that certifiers actually accept. Bringing an untested product to a fire certifier is a waste of everyone’s time.
- Custom-made for each opening. Every Crimsafe screen we supply is manufactured to the exact dimensions of the opening it’s going into. There are no off-the-shelf panels being trimmed to fit on site.
What Vincent Security brings to the Job
We are an authorised Crimsafe licensee that has the know how, the skills and the experience to get the job done, whether it be fire / heat attenuation, anti thrown screens anti anti-electrocution screens for QR station relocations. That means we don’t just sell the product. We manufacture it in our Brisbane factory, to the design specifications, and our own licensed team installs it.
No subcontractors. No coordinating between a supplier and a separate installer. No gaps in accountability when your certifier needs paperwork.
When a commercial builder or project manager works with us, they get a single point of contact from measure through to installation sign-off. We’ve been doing this since 1970, and on a commercial build where project and compliance timelines are tight, that kind of direct accountability matters.
How to Specify Fire Attenuation Screens: A Step-by-Step Guide for Builders
Getting attenuation screens onto a commercial project correctly isn’t complicated, but the sequence matters.
- Confirm the requirement early. Have your certifier or fire engineer identify which openings require attenuation and what the performance specification is. Don’t leave this to the back end of the build.
- Contact us with the project details. Bring us the fire engineer’s report and the building plans and we’ll confirm whether Crimsafe attenuation screens satisfy the specification and advise on product selection.
- We measure on site. Although we can estimate from plans, our team comes to site and measures each opening precisely. This ensures that every screen is custom-made to the actual opening dimensions.
- We manufacture the fire attenuation screens in our Brisbane factory. Screens are produced by our own team, to Crimsafe’s specifications, with full traceability.
- Our licensed installers fit the screens. Installation is carried out by the same team that measured the job. No handover between parties, no miscommunication, no excuses.
- We provide documentation for your certifier. We provide a form 12 for installation to support your compliance sign-off. Keep in mind that we are not eningeers. If you require an engineer’s sign off, you must specify this in the quote or tender request.
The Bottom Line on Fire Attenuation Screens
Fire attenuation screens are a serious compliance requirement that carries real consequences if it’s not met correctly. A screen that isn’t rated, isn’t installed to specification, or isn’t backed by proper documentation will not satisfy your certifier and will not protect the building in a fire event.
Crimsafe Fire Attenuation screens, supplied and installed by Vincent Security, are a preferred solution for over 27 years. Manufactured here in Brisbane and installed by our own licensed team.
Ready to get started? Book your free measure and quote today.
FAQs
What is the difference between a fire attenuation screen and a standard security screen?
A fire attenuation screen is specifically tested and rated to reduce radiant heat transfer between buildings under fire conditions. A standard security screen is designed to resist forced entry. While some products, like Crimsafe, do both, not every security screen qualifies as a fire attenuation solution.
Do fire attenuation screens replace the need for sprinklers or fire-rated glazing?
Your fire engineer will determine whether Crimsafe Fire Attenuation screens alone meet the compliance requirement or whether a combination of a number of solutions are required for your project.
How long does it take to supply and install fire attenuation screens on a commercial build?
Timing depends on the number of openings and project scope. Because we manufacture in our own Brisbane factory and manage the full process in-house, we can give you a realistic lead time from the first measure. Engaging us early in construction avoids delays at the certification stage.
Can fire attenuation screens be used on both new builds and commercial renovations?
Yes. Fire attenuation screens apply to any project where the Fire Engineer has called them up as an alternate solution needed to satisfy requirements of the NCC compliance pathway requiring radiant heat protection at an opening, whether it’s a new build or an existing building undergoing extension or renovation that brings an opening within the required separation distance from a fire source boundary.
