A new fire safety reality

Fire safety is a hot topic—especially in non-residential construction. This became clear during two “Brandende Kwesties” sessions, where insurers, architects, fire safety consultants, regulators and construction companies joined an open conversation about the challenges they face.
Participants described the same tension: construction volumes are rising, electrification is adding new risks, and buildings are becoming more complex while the built environment grows denser. At the same time, roles and responsibilities are shifting. Who makes the call when solutions are “equivalent,” and how do you align expectations between local authorities, the safety region, insurers and building professionals?
The shared conclusion was simple but powerful: fire safety cannot rely on rules alone. It requires insight, dialogue and close collaboration from the earliest project phase.

How the environmental act reshapes fire safety

Since the introduction of the Environmental Act in January 2024, the regulatory landscape has changed significantly. Multiple laws on spatial planning, environment, water and construction are now combined into a single framework. This creates more coherence but also more responsibility for project partners to interpret risks correctly.
Within this new framework, the PGS as part of the Dutch environmental act (publicatiereeks gevaarlijkestoffen guidelines) continue to play an essential role in defining safe storage of hazardous substances. Their updated structure places stronger emphasis on risk-based measures, practical feasibility and clear alignment between environmental and working conditions requirements.
Whether it concerns packaged hazardous materials, civil-use explosives or lithium batteries, one principle now stands out: well-designed compartments and robust structural solutions are crucial for controlling fire and explosion risks. To find out the fire resistancy of Hebel panels, Xella Netherlands recently had an independent fire test carried out. The results are impressive – a load-bearing Hebel roof and floor construction can withstand 240 minutes of fire without failing.

How Hebel supports safer, more resilient buildings

Hebel AAC panels offer thus reliable fire-resistant and explosion-resistant performance. The material contains millions of air cells that slow down heat transfer and naturally resist fire. This creates long fire-resistance times while offering insulation and shock absorption.
Thanks to its strength and low weight, Hebel also enables flexible construction. It can be used in traditional wall assemblies, but also in freestanding structures where additional protection is needed between buildings.

Hebel Construct as a system solution

Hebel Construct is a self-supporting building system that allows commercial buildings and PGS spaces to be realized quickly and safely. Because no traditional supporting structure is required, construction becomes faster and less dependent on steel or concrete frames—an advantage in both cost and planning.

Case study: freestanding Hebel fire wall at LelyPharma

When LelyPharma built a new production facility, a six-meter passageway remained between the new building and the existing hall. Both facades met the required fire resistance, yet the insurer judged the fire-spread risk to be too high. A sprinkler system, however, was impossible due to sensitive cleanroom environments.
Together with Huls Adviseurs, the project team looked for an alternative that would not interrupt production and would still deliver a high protection level. Cast-in-place concrete, stacked block systems and sandwich panels all posed practical or financial drawbacks.
A freestanding Hebel firewall offered the solution.
The final structure is 150 meters long and 11 meters high. Steel profiles support Hebel panels that together provide up to 120 minutes of fire resistance between the two buildings. Because the wall is fully self-supporting and placed one meter away from the façade, production could continue without downtime.
The outcome brought several advantages for LelyPharma—lower investment costs compared to a sprinkler installation, no loss of production time and a long-lasting solution that does not depend on annual inspection regimes. The firewall also allows sufficient daylight to enter through the existing façade behind it.
The project was installed by Xella Construction Services in collaboration with Kok Bouw BV, ensuring safe execution and smooth coordination on a complex site.

A shared responsibility

As regulations evolve and risks grow, one theme becomes ever more important: fire safety requires early cooperation and informed decision-making. By bringing stakeholders together and by offering proven material solutions such as Hebel, Xella Netherlands supports safer, faster and more resilient construction.