New partnership is a blast

New partnership is a blast

An new blast protection system, that sets new standards for performance and scope, has just been launched to an audience of facade design specialists and clients at Heathrow Airport.

The system was developed by Besam and Sapa Building Systems. The launch of the Besam ADS Blast Protection range of automatic doors and the Sapa Elegance PF and Powerframe range of curtain walling, windows and manual doors was widely welcomed at the Heathrow event.

Speaking at the event, General Sir Mike Jackson, Chief of the General Staff and Head of the Army until 2006, and former Commander of British Forces in Iraq, stressed the importance of buildings acting as the last line of defence in protecting the people that occupy them.

A blast is an extremely rapid release of energy which takes four forms: light, sound, heat and (the most deadly) shockwave. To mitigate all of these a facade system needs to have a suitable structure, special fixings, enhanced framing and specific glazing. The design of the system has to be ‘balanced’, with all elements of the same strength, as any element which is stronger would have a negative effect on the overall integrity of the structure.

Dr John Wyatt, blast protection consultant to the UN for Europe and North Africa, said he was pleased with the work Besam and Sapa had done so far and congratulated them on the speed with which they had tackled this complicated problem. “They now have a good product for a particular threat level,” he said.