The tragedy that befell Grenfell Tower was, quite literally, a wake-up call for those who gathered early that morning at Southbank Centre in London for a symposium on building physics and conservation. What unfolded was, sadly, immediately recognizable—another building engulfed in flames. Public outcry was understandable and swift: Why did this happen? Who is responsible? What can be done?
As human beings, we mourn those who were lost and feel deeply for those left behind who continue to grieve and now search for answers. As architects and engineers, problem solving is familiar territory. Solving for "why" is the assignment we have been given—a first principles approach to safeguard lives and restore the public trust.
Used with permission from Fire Protection Engineering, the only magazine written for and by fire protection engineers and available exclusively to members of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers.
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