Industry Insights
Fire-Rated Finishes for Commercial Interiors
Fire safety in commercial interiors is not optional, negotiable, or something that can be addressed after the design is finalised. In Singapore, the regulatory framework governing fire-rated finishes is comprehensive, enforced, and carries consequences for non-compliance that extend from project delays to personal liability. Yet in our experience at Goodrich, the fire rating requirements for interior wall and floor finishes remain one of the most frequently misunderstood aspects of commercial specification.
The misunderstandings are not about intent — no responsible specifier ignores fire safety. They are about the details: which classifications apply, which test standards are relevant in Singapore, how to read a fire test certificate properly, and where the boundaries of compliance lie. Getting these details right is essential for every commercial project, and getting them wrong can be costly in ways that go far beyond the material budget.
Singapore’s Regulatory Framework for Interior Finishes
The primary regulatory authority for fire safety in Singapore’s built environment is the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), operating under the Fire Safety Act. The SCDF issues the Fire Code, which sets out the fire safety requirements for buildings, including specific provisions for interior finishes.
The Fire Code addresses interior finishes under its provisions for fire safety in building design. Interior wall linings, ceiling linings, and floor finishes in commercial buildings are subject to requirements that depend on the building’s occupancy classification, height, and the specific location within the building (e.g., escape routes, public areas, enclosed rooms).
For most commercial applications, the key requirement is that interior finishes meet specified surface spread of flame classifications. The classifications referenced in Singapore’s Fire Code are primarily based on British Standard BS 476 — specifically:
- BS 476 Part 7: Surface Spread of Flame — classifies materials from Class 1 (very low spread of flame) to Class 4 (rapid spread). Commercial interiors in Singapore typically require Class 1 for wall and ceiling linings in escape routes, and Class 1 or Class 2 for other occupied areas, depending on the building type.
- BS 476 Part 6: Fire Propagation — measures the contribution of a material to fire growth. Together with Part 7, a material achieving Class 0 (a composite classification requiring both low fire propagation under Part 6 and Class 1 surface spread of flame under Part 7) represents the highest level of performance for surface linings.
Class 0 is not a classification within BS 476 itself but is defined in the UK Building Regulations and widely adopted in Singapore practice. It requires that a material satisfy both the fire propagation criteria of BS 476 Part 6 and achieve Class 1 in BS 476 Part 7. Many commercial projects in Singapore specify Class 0 as the default requirement for wall and ceiling finishes in all public and common areas.
Floor Finishes: A Different Test Regime
Floor finishes are assessed differently from wall and ceiling linings. The primary concern is the critical radiant flux — the minimum heat energy required to sustain flame spread across the floor surface. In Singapore, floor finishes in escape routes and certain commercial spaces are tested to standards such as BS 476 Part 7 (applied to flooring) or, increasingly, to European standard EN 13501-1, which classifies flooring from Bfl-s1 (best performance) to Ffl (no performance determined).
The fire behaviour of floor finishes matters most in escape routes, where a floor that contributes to flame spread could impede evacuation. In general commercial areas, the requirements may be less stringent, but specifiers should always verify the specific requirements for each project with the Qualified Person (QP) and the SCDF submission.
Which Commercial Spaces Require Fire-Rated Finishes
The short answer is: more spaces than many specifiers initially assume. The Fire Code requirements apply across a wide range of commercial building types and locations within those buildings.
High-Rise Buildings
Buildings above a certain height threshold face more stringent fire safety requirements, including for interior finishes. Common corridors, lift lobbies, staircases, and areas of refuge in high-rise commercial buildings typically require Class 0 wall and ceiling linings and fire-rated floor finishes in escape routes. Given that a large proportion of Singapore’s commercial building stock is high-rise, this applies to the majority of office, hotel, and mixed-use projects.
Healthcare Facilities
Hospitals, clinics, and care facilities are classified under occupancy categories that trigger stringent fire safety requirements. Interior finishes in patient areas, corridors, and escape routes must meet Class 0 or Class 1 requirements. The combination of vulnerable occupants, oxygen-enriched environments, and complex evacuation requirements makes fire-rated finishes essential rather than optional in healthcare.
Hospitality
Hotels, serviced apartments, and other accommodation buildings require fire-rated finishes in guest corridors, lift lobbies, function rooms, and public areas. Guest room interiors have their own requirements, and the trend among international hotel operators is to specify beyond the minimum code requirements as part of their brand standards.
Retail and Public Assembly
Shopping centres, convention halls, theatres, and places of public assembly require fire-rated finishes in accordance with their occupancy classification. The high occupant loads and complex evacuation scenarios in these buildings make interior finish fire ratings a critical part of the fire safety strategy.
Escape Routes Across All Building Types
Regardless of the overall building classification, escape routes — corridors leading to exits, staircase enclosures, and lift lobbies serving as fire lobbies — almost universally require the highest level of fire performance for interior finishes. This is where Class 0 wall linings and appropriately rated floor finishes are most consistently required.
Reading and Verifying Fire Test Certificates
A fire test certificate is only useful if it is correctly understood and properly verified. In our work with specifiers across Singapore, we encounter several recurring issues with how fire test documentation is handled.
Check That the Certificate Matches the Product
This sounds obvious, but it is the most common issue. A fire test certificate is specific to the exact product tested — the specific product reference, construction, thickness, and composition. A certificate for one product in a manufacturer’s range does not automatically apply to other products in the same range, even if they appear similar. If the wallcovering you are specifying is a different weight, backing, or composition from the one tested, the certificate does not apply.
Verify the Test Standard
Ensure the certificate references the test standard required by the project’s fire safety submission. A certificate showing compliance with a national standard from another country (e.g., ASTM E84 from the United States or DIN 4102 from Germany) may not be accepted by SCDF without additional evidence of equivalence. BS 476 Parts 6 and 7 remain the primary reference standards for Singapore. EN 13501-1 (the European classification standard) is increasingly recognised, but specifiers should confirm acceptance with the QP.
Check the Testing Laboratory
Fire tests should be conducted by accredited testing laboratories. Certificates from laboratories without recognised accreditation (such as UKAS in the UK or SAC in Singapore) should be treated with caution. Reputable manufacturers test with accredited laboratories as a matter of course.
Confirm the Certificate Is Current
Fire test certificates typically do not expire, but they can be superseded if the product formulation changes. Specifiers should confirm with the supplier that the certificate reflects the current production version of the product, not a historical formulation that has since been modified.
Common Specification Mistakes
Several recurring mistakes in specifying fire-rated finishes can lead to compliance issues, project delays, or both.
Assuming all products in a category are fire-rated. Not all wallcoverings are fire-rated. Not all vinyl flooring is fire-rated. Commercial-grade products from reputable manufacturers generally are, but it is not a universal truth. Every product specified for an application requiring fire-rated finishes should be individually verified against its test certificate.
Confusing fire ratings with fire resistance. Fire-rated interior finishes (surface spread of flame, fire propagation) are not the same as fire-resistant construction (fire compartmentation, structural fire resistance). A Class 0 wallcovering does not make a wall fire-resistant. The finish and the substrate serve different fire safety functions.
Ignoring substrate effects. The fire performance of a finish can be affected by the substrate to which it is applied. A wallcovering tested and certified when applied to a non-combustible substrate (such as plasterboard) may not achieve the same classification when applied to a combustible substrate (such as plywood). The test certificate will specify the substrate used in testing, and the specified installation should replicate those conditions.
Specifying residential products for commercial applications. Under budget pressure, there is sometimes a temptation to use residential-grade products in commercial settings. Residential wallcoverings and flooring products are often not tested to the fire standards required for commercial buildings, and their use can result in a failed fire safety inspection — requiring removal and replacement at significant cost and programme impact.
Late discovery of fire rating requirements. Fire safety requirements should be established at the outset of the design process, not discovered during the fire safety submission or, worse, during construction. Specifying materials that do not meet fire requirements late in the project creates urgent, costly substitutions that compromise both the design intent and the programme.
Goodrich’s Fire-Rated Product Range
At Goodrich, fire safety compliance is a baseline requirement for our commercial product recommendations, not an add-on. We carry extensive ranges of fire-rated wallcoverings, commercial carpet, and vinyl flooring that meet or exceed the classifications required for Singapore’s commercial interiors.
Our commercial wallcovering ranges include products tested and certified to Class 0 (BS 476 Parts 6 and 7), suitable for use in escape routes, high-rise common areas, hospitality corridors, and healthcare environments. These products combine fire performance with the aesthetic quality and durability that commercial projects demand — fire compliance does not mean compromising on design.
Our commercial flooring products — including LVT and carpet tiles — carry the appropriate fire classifications for their intended applications. We maintain fire test certificates for all commercial products and make them available to specifiers as part of our standard project documentation.
Critically, we verify the fire credentials of the products we recommend. Our technical team reviews fire test certificates, confirms their applicability to the specific product version being supplied, and can advise on substrate and installation considerations that affect fire performance. When a specifier requests a fire-rated product from Goodrich, they receive not just the product but the documentation and technical support to ensure the specification is compliant.
Getting Fire Safety Right From the Start
Fire-rated interior finishes are a regulatory requirement, a safety imperative, and a professional responsibility. The consequences of getting them wrong — failed inspections, project delays, costly replacements, and potential liability — are entirely avoidable with proper attention at the specification stage.
The approach is straightforward: establish the fire safety requirements for every area of the project early in the design process, specify products with verified fire test certificates that match the required classifications, confirm that the installation method and substrate are consistent with the test conditions, and retain the documentation for the fire safety submission and future reference.
At Goodrich, we support this process for every commercial project we are involved in. Fire safety compliance is not a burden to be managed — it is a professional standard that protects occupants, protects the project team, and ensures that the finished interior is fit for purpose in every sense. We encourage specifiers to engage with us early in the project to confirm fire rating requirements and identify compliant products that meet both the regulatory and design objectives of the project.
