Building Performance Awareness of Lightweight Construction during Fires

In a partnership with the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), the American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA) developed a comprehensive Web-based educational program to help the fire service learn more about lightweight construction components and the performance of these building materials during fires to create a safer operational environment for firefighters. These components include trusses, glue laminated beams, I-joists, structural composite lumber, structural insulated panels, and wood structural panels that are replacing dimensional lumber in many applications.

Included in this program is FireFrame, an interactive tool on building construction for the fire service. It was developed with the assistance of several state and local fire training systems.

This program is available at the AF&PA Fire Service Resource Guides Web site.

AF&PA is the national trade association representing over 80 percent of the paper, wood and forest products produced in the United States. It acts as an international resource and clearinghouse for technical information and expertise on wood products. For this project partnership, AF&PA provided a significant and beneficial technical outreach on critical safety issues related to the performance of these products.

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