Over 50,000 Irish homes underwent energy efficiency retrofits in 2024, but most homeowners don’t realise these upgrades can create serious Fire Safety for Retrofits problems if not done properly.
Energy efficiency retrofits are everywhere in Ireland right now. BER upgrades, external wall insulation, heat pumps, solar panels. The government’s pushing hard with grants and deadlines, and thousands of Irish property owners are doing the work. But external wall insulation can trap fire and allow it to spread vertically. New heating systems need different fire safety provisions. Service penetrations through fire-rated walls compromise compartmentation. And the Building Regulations in Ireland changed significantly in 2024 and 2025 to address exactly these retrofit fire safety issues.
In this guide, you’ll learn what fire safety regulations apply to retrofit projects, which upgrades create the highest fire risks, and how to ensure your building work complies with Part B of the Building Regulations. Whether you’re a homeowner planning insulation or a building owner managing multiple properties, this information protects lives and keeps you compliant with Irish building regulations.
Why Fire Safety Matters More After a Retrofit
Energy efficiency upgrades change how buildings perform in a fire, and not always in good ways. External wall insulation creates cavities where fire and smoke can spread vertically between floors. Insulation materials vary wildly in their fire resistance. New electrical installations for heat pumps or solar panels add potential ignition risks. And sealing buildings tight for energy efficiency can trap smoke and reduce the natural ventilation that used to help in fires.
The Building Control Regulations require that any building work, including retrofits and upgrades, complies with Part B of the Building Regulations, which covers fire safety. That includes everything from small upgrades to major renovations. The 2024 amendment to Part B specifically addresses fire safety in retrofit work, particularly around external walls and compartmentation.
The problem is that many contractors doing retrofit work don’t understand the fire safety implications. They’re focused on BER ratings and energy efficiency, which is fair enough, but fire safety can’t be skipped. According to fire safety regulations in Ireland, compliance isn’t optional regardless of whether you’re building new or upgrading existing buildings.
Irish Building Regulations: What Property Owners Need to Know
The Irish building regulations are legal requirements that ensure buildings are constructed and maintained to proper safety standards. They cover everything from structural integrity to fire safety, and they apply to both new builds and retrofit projects. For property owners, compliance isn’t just a legal box to tick. It’s what protects lives and property when something goes wrong.
Part B of the Building Regulations deals specifically with fire safety. It sets out requirements for fire resistance, means of escape, compartmentation, fire-rated materials, and passive fire protection measures like fire stopping. These aren’t suggestions. They’re mandatory minimum standards that every building must meet.
The 1981 Building Regulations have been amended multiple times, most recently in 2024 and 2025. These recent regulation changes tightened requirements around external wall systems, fire stopping in service penetrations, and compartmentation in existing buildings undergoing retrofit. If you’re doing any building work in Ireland right now, these amendments apply to you.
Building owners are responsible for ensuring compliance. That means hiring competent contractors, specifying proper materials, and keeping documentation that proves the work meets Part B requirements. If there’s ever a fire or an insurance claim, you’ll need to show that fire safety measures were installed correctly.
External Wall Insulation: The Biggest Fire Risk in Retrofits
External wall insulation (EWI) is one of the most popular energy efficiency upgrades in Ireland. It dramatically reduces heat loss and improves BER ratings. But it also creates one of the highest fire risks if not installed correctly.
The issue is how fire spreads up external walls. Combustible insulation materials like expanded polystyrene (EPS) can fuel fire spread. Cavities between the insulation and the wall create paths for fire and smoke to travel vertically, sometimes faster than through the building itself. Inadequate fire barriers at each floor level allow fire to breach the compartments that were supposed to contain it.
The 2024 amendment to the Building Regulations introduced stricter requirements for external wall systems on existing buildings. Any retrofit involving external walls now requires a designer (typically an architect or engineer) to assess fire safety and ensure compliance. Part B sets out exactly what’s needed: fire barriers at every floor level, cavity barriers around openings like windows and doors, and restrictions on combustible materials in certain locations.
If you’re getting EWI installed, the contractor must use a system that’s been tested and certified for fire performance. The entire system needs test certificates showing it meets the fire resistance requirements in Part B. Your contractor should be able to produce these documents. If they can’t, don’t proceed with the work.
External wall fire safety isn’t just about the insulation itself. It’s about how the whole system performs together: the insulation, the render, the fixings, the cavity barriers, the fire breaks. All of it needs to work as a tested, certified system that prevents fire from spreading up the outside of your building.
Firestoppers specialises in passive fire protection for retrofit projects, including assessment and installation of fire barriers in external wall systems to ensure they meet Irish building regulations.
Compartmentation: Containing Fire Inside Your Building
Compartmentation is how buildings are divided into fire-resistant sections to contain fire and smoke. Think of it as creating boxes inside the building that fire can’t easily escape from. This gives occupants time to evacuate and gives fire services time to control the blaze before it spreads through the entire building.
In a properly compartmented building, fire-rated walls and floors separate different areas. These barriers are designed to hold back fire for a specific period, typically 30, 60, or 90 minutes depending on the building type and use. The compartment walls must be continuous from floor to ceiling with no gaps, and anything that passes through them (pipes, cables, ducts) must be properly sealed.
Retrofit work often compromises compartmentation without anyone realising it. A contractor drilling through a fire-rated wall to run new pipes for a heat pump. Electricians routing cables for solar panels through compartment walls. Insulation installers blocking fire stopping that was protecting service penetrations. Each of these creates a breach that allows fire and smoke to spread between compartments.
The Building Regulations require that compartmentation is maintained during and after any building work. That means using proper passive fire stopping products around every service penetration. Intumescent seals that expand in heat to close gaps. Fire-rated collars around plastic pipes. Flame Stop or similar systems tested to maintain the fire resistance rating of the wall or floor they’re sealing.
Property owners need to make sure contractors understand this before work starts. Ask them specifically how they’re going to maintain compartmentation when they run new services through walls and floors. If they don’t have a clear answer with proper fire-rated products specified, bring in a fire safety specialist to handle that part of the work.
Insulation, Heating, and New Fire Risks in Retrofit Projects
Adding insulation to attics, walls, or floors affects fire safety in ways most people don’t consider. Insulation materials themselves vary in fire resistance. Mineral wool is non-combustible. Treated cellulose is combustible but fire-retardant. Untreated EPS or spray foam can be highly combustible. The choice matters.
When insulation is added, any penetrations through fire-rated walls or floors need proper sealing. Pipes, cables, and ducts passing through compartment walls must maintain the fire resistance rating of that wall. If a wall is fire-rated for 60 minutes, every seal around every penetration needs to maintain that 60 minutes.
The problem in retrofit work is that contractors drill new holes for services without sealing them properly afterwards. Or they use standard foam or mastic that isn’t fire-rated. This compromises the compartmentation and creates pathways for fire and smoke to spread.
Heat pumps are replacing oil and gas boilers across Ireland. Solar panels are going up on thousands of roofs. These renewable heating and electricity systems are good for energy efficiency and carbon reduction, but they bring new fire safety considerations that need addressing.
Heat pumps require electrical installations that must comply with fire safety rules. The electrical work needs to be done by a qualified electrician and meet the standards in the Building Regulations. The equipment itself needs positioning so that if there’s a fault, it doesn’t create an ignition source near combustible materials.
Solar panels present different challenges. The electrical wiring from panels on the roof down to the inverter creates potential ignition points. Roof penetrations for cable runs need proper fire stopping. And if there’s a fire in the building, fire services need to be aware there are live electrical systems on the roof that can’t be shut off by isolating the mains.
The 2025 guidance from the Department of Housing on renewable energy installations addresses some of this. Property owners are responsible for making sure installers follow the guidance and don’t compromise fire safety while improving energy efficiency.
Fire Safety Standards: Active and Passive Protection Working Together
Fire safety in buildings relies on both active and passive fire protection systems working together.
Active fire protection includes fire alarms, sprinkler systems, and fire extinguishers. These are systems that detect fire or actively fight it. Fire alarms alert occupants to evacuate. Sprinkler installation can automatically suppress a fire in its early stages. These systems need power or activation to work, and they need regular inspection and maintenance to ensure they function when needed.
Passive fire protection is everything that contains and slows fire without needing power or activation. Fire-resistant walls and floors that compartmentalise the building. Fire doors that close automatically to contain smoke. Fire stopping around service penetrations. Intumescent coatings on structural steel. These measures are built into the fabric of the building and work by their physical properties, not by detecting or suppressing fire.
Retrofit projects can affect both types of protection. Adding insulation might cover existing fire stopping. Running new services might compromise fire-rated walls. Installing new systems might block escape routes or interfere with fire door operation. Every aspect of fire prevention needs consideration during retrofit planning.
The Building Regulations mandate specific provisions for both active and passive fire protection depending on the building type, size, and use. Residential buildings have different requirements than commercial premises. Multi-unit buildings need more extensive provisions than single houses. Understanding what applies to your building is essential before starting retrofit work.
Common Retrofit Fire Safety Mistakes Property Owners Make
After working on retrofit projects across Ireland, these are the fire safety mistakes that come up repeatedly.
Installing external wall insulation without fire barriers or using combustible materials in locations where Part B requires non-combustible materials. Using spray foam insulation that fills cavity barriers and compromises compartmentation. Running new services through fire-rated walls without proper passive fire stopping. Blocking or reducing the width of escape routes during renovation work. Installing new heating or electrical systems without properly assessing fire risk.
There’s also a timing problem. Property owners focus on getting the BER upgrade done to access grants or meet deadlines, and fire safety gets rushed or skipped entirely. Contractors who aren’t fire safety specialists make assumptions about what’s compliant. And inspections, if they happen at all, focus on energy performance rather than checking that compartmentation and fire stopping are still intact.
The fix is treating fire safety as part of the retrofit scope from day one. Include it in the design. Specify it in contracts with contractors. Budget for proper fire-rated materials and installation. And have it inspected by someone who actually knows fire safety regulations in Ireland, not just energy efficiency standards.
Building Control Regulations and Compliance: What You Actually Need to Do
Any building work in Ireland needs to comply with the Building Control Regulations. For fire safety, that means Part B of the Building Regulations. The 2024 amendment updated Part B specifically to address retrofit work and energy efficiency upgrades.
Here’s what compliance looks like in practice. Before work starts, you need a design that considers fire safety, not just energy performance. For significant retrofit projects, that means hiring an architect or designer who will prepare drawings and specifications that address Part B requirements. For smaller projects, your contractor should demonstrate they understand the fire safety requirements and how they’ll meet them.
During the work, fire safety measures need proper installation. That includes maintaining compartmentation, ensuring means of escape routes aren’t compromised, installing correct fire stopping around service penetrations, and using materials that meet the required fire resistance standards.
After completion, you need documentation showing compliance. For projects requiring Building Control approval, that includes a Certificate of Compliance on Completion. For smaller projects that don’t require approval, you should still have records of what was done, including test certificates for any fire-rated products used.
Many retrofit projects in Ireland are being done without proper fire safety consideration. Homeowners don’t know what to ask for. Contractors focus on energy performance. Fire safety gets missed. Then years later when there’s an insurance claim or someone tries to sell the property, the non-compliance becomes a problem that’s expensive to fix.
Factor in fire safety from the start. Budget for it. Make sure designers and contractors understand Part B and the 2024 and 2025 regulation changes. And consider bringing in a fire safety specialist to review plans and inspect work, especially if you’re a building owner with multiple properties or a commercial premises where fire safety has legal and liability implications beyond just compliance.
Resources and Support for Irish Property Owners
Property owners navigating fire safety requirements have several sources of help available.
The Department of Housing publishes Technical Guidance Documents including Part B on fire safety. These set out the minimum requirements and acceptable solutions for meeting the Building Regulations. They’re technical documents, but they’re the authoritative source on what’s required.
Local authority building control departments can provide guidance on whether specific retrofit work requires Building Control approval and what fire safety measures need to be included. They conduct inspections for projects that do require approval.
Fire services can offer advice on fire prevention and may conduct inspections of certain buildings under the Fire Services Acts. Building owners of commercial premises and multi-unit residential buildings have specific responsibilities under these Acts beyond just complying with Building Regulations.
Architects and fire safety engineers play important roles in ensuring retrofit projects meet fire safety requirements. Architects incorporate fire safety into building design and specify compliant materials. Fire safety engineers provide specialist assessment for complex projects or buildings where standard solutions in Part B don’t easily apply.
For building owners undertaking retrofit work, engaging these professionals early in the planning process helps identify fire safety requirements before work starts. This avoids discovering compliance issues after the work is done, when fixing them is more disruptive and expensive.
Contact Firestoppers for fire safety assessment of retrofit or upgrade projects. We work with property owners, homeowners, contractors, and architects across Ireland to ensure retrofit projects meet fire safety regulations and protect lives and property.
What Property Owners and Homeowners Should Do Now
If you’re planning a retrofit or upgrade, here’s what to do.
Get a fire safety assessment before work starts. This identifies what fire safety measures currently exist and what needs maintaining or improving during the retrofit. For houses, this might be relatively straightforward. For commercial premises or multi-unit buildings, it needs more detail.
Make sure your designer or contractor understands Part B of the Building Regulations and the 2024 and 2025 amendments. Ask them specifically how they’re maintaining compartmentation, what fire-rated products they’re using, and how they’re addressing external wall fire safety if EWI is involved.
Use SEAI-registered contractors where possible for energy efficiency work, but understand that SEAI registration focuses on energy performance, not fire safety. You may need separate fire safety expertise, especially for larger projects or complex buildings.
Keep records of everything. Test certificates for fire-rated products. Installation photos showing fire stopping before it’s covered up. Compliance documentation. If you ever need to demonstrate compliance to fire services, insurers, building control, or a prospective buyer, you’ll need this documentation.
If you’re a building owner with rental properties or commercial premises, you have additional responsibilities under the Fire Services Acts. Retrofit work can’t compromise fire safety, and you may need a fire safety certificate amendment if the work changes the building’s fire risk profile or means of escape provisions.
Don’t assume contractors doing retrofit work understand fire safety requirements. Most are focused on their specific trade. Make fire safety an explicit part of the project scope, with someone responsible for ensuring compliance across all the different trades working on site.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need Building Control approval for retrofit work?
It depends on the scope. Major renovations and extensions require approval. Smaller upgrades like insulation or heating replacement might be exempt from needing approval, but they still must comply with Part B of the Building Regulations even when approval isn’t required.
What fire safety rules apply to external wall insulation in Ireland?
The 2024 amendment to Part B sets out requirements for external wall systems. This includes fire barriers at each floor level, cavity barriers around all openings, restrictions on combustible materials in certain locations, and testing and certification of the complete system as installed.
Can I retrofit a building and improve BER without affecting fire safety?
Yes, but it requires proper design and installation from the start. The problem isn’t energy efficiency itself. It’s when retrofits compromise existing fire safety measures or introduce new fire risks without addressing them properly through compliant materials and correct installation methods.
Who’s responsible for fire safety during retrofit work?
The building owner is ultimately responsible, but contractors have duties too under Irish law. Designers must ensure work complies with Building Regulations. Contractors must install fire safety measures correctly. Building owners must engage competent people and ensure work meets the required standards throughout the project.
What’s passive fire protection and why does it matter in retrofits?
Passive fire protection includes fire-rated walls, floors, doors, and compartmentation that contain fire and smoke without needing power or activation. Retrofit work often compromises these systems by creating new penetrations or blocking existing fire stopping, which is why proper passive fire stopping is essential.
Do I need a fire safety certificate for retrofit work?
For some buildings and some types of work, yes. If your building already has a fire safety certificate and the retrofit changes fire risk or means of escape, you may need to apply for an amendment. Residential houses typically don’t require fire safety certificates unless they’re being changed to multi-unit use or other material change of use.
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