High rise domestic buildings: inventory
Information on the construction and fire safety of high rise domestic buildings in Scotland.
Data Returned: Key Findings
Footnote[2]
7. A total of 780 high rise building records were submitted to the HRI, up from 774 in 2020, with locations across 15 Local Authorities. 49% of these, representing 378 buildings, are in Glasgow. Where building information was provided, Registered Social Landlords are the most common building owners (35%, 275 buildings). Although this is an increase of 6, this reflects an increase of 2 in Edinburgh, 6 in Glasgow City, 1 in Renfrewshire and a decrease of 3 in North Lanarkshire.
8. The most common completion date for domestic high rise buildings in Scotland is the 1960s (45%, 351 buildings), with the oldest two buildings reported as being completed pre-1950s.
9. Reported building heights range from 18m to 71.5m, with a median height of 31.25m. The tallest reported buildings are located in Glasgow.
10. There are a reported 46,619 flats in high rise buildings in Scotland a slight increase of 89 flats from the previous year.
11. The most common construction type reported for high rise buildings in Scotland is concrete frame (60%, 464 buildings – an increase from 457), with the majority of buildings a single construction type (57%, 437 buildings).
12. Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) panels are identified in a small number of buildings (5%, 38 buildings) where information was provided, representing a decrease of 13 from the previous inventory. ACM is a generic name for a type of flat panel that consists of two thin aluminium sheets (0.5mm) held together with a core filler, typically between 3 and 7mm thick, see table below. Category 3 is the highest risk most combustible panel, whilst category 1 is limited combustibility and largely mineral filler that meets the Euro-classification A2.
13. The overall decrease from the 2020 inventory is due to a re-analysis of the information on panels used across 13 buildings, which were composite panels as opposed to ACM types.
14. Of the 38 buildings reporting ACM panels, 23 reported Category 3 ACM panels with a combustible polyethylene core (ACM-PE).
15. The remaining 15 buildings have ACM panels Category 1 (Euroclassification A2). The table below shows the differences between the three categories of ACM materials in terms of their calorific value. The higher the calorific value of the ACM the poorer the fire performance.
| Category | Common core composition | Calorific Value MJ/Kg 1 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 2 (non-combustible or will not significantly contribute to fire load and fire growth) | Largely of mineral composition affording a high standard of fire performance | ≤ 3 |
| 2 (fire retardant - FR) | A mixture of polyethylene and other, inorganic additives to enhance fire performance | >3 and ≤ 35 |
| 3 (non-FR) | Unmodified polyethylene (PE); | > 35 |
1 Screen test based on BS EN ISO 1716 'Reaction to fire tests for products. Determination of the gross heat of combustion (calorific value)'.
2 European Classification A1 (non-combustible) or A2 (will not significantly contribute to fire load and fire growth) as defined in BS EN 13501-1: 2018
16. Sprinklers or other forms of automatic fire suppression equipment are reported in 307 buildings (40%, an increase of 7 from 2020) where information provided. Fire doors are fitted to all flat doors for 85% (647) of buildings. Similarly, fire doors are fitted to all escape stairs for 92% (718) of buildings.
Contact
Email: simon.roberts@gov.scot
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