Public perception of fire safety and risk of timber buildings

Abstract

As a dominant representative of biobased construction materials, an increased use of timber bears potential to contribute to climate change mitigation. This work investigated public attitudes towards timber as a building material, particularly focussing on the perception of fire safety properties and associated risks. In past studies timber’s susceptibility to fire was often acknowledged by stakeholders and thus interpreted as a potential market barrier. An international online survey (n = 323) was carried out and complemented with data from 28 semi-structured interviews in Denmark and Sweden. The study reports empirical evidence that timber buildings are attributed a higher risk than their non-combustible counterparts. The public’s underlying assumptions on timber’s fire behaviour in buildings seem greatly varied and interview data suggest the importance of demonstrating building safety on a system level. Interviewees from the two Nordic countries expressed strong societal trust towards professionals and authorities to competently address any risks during building design and approval processes, thus feeling safe towards timber buildings despite recognising timber’s combustibility. This refutes the general idea of timber’s perceived combustibility as a market barrier. Lastly, the importance of context (e.g. cultural) for risk appraisal is acknowledged.