Material lessons from Grenfell

The Grenfell Tower fire in the UK has shone a spotlight on building materials – and how fire retardant they are – after initial analysis suggested the rapid spread of the blaze was aided by the combustible filler used inside panels of aluminium cladding on the building’s exterior. But the regulatory situation is still hazy for this type of cladding and the tests being conducted at other blocks of flats may not be fit for purpose.