Location >> Date：2026-05-03
Abstract: On April 1, 2026, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations approved and officially implemented the rulebook "Fire Safety Requirements for Multi-Family Residential Buildings Constructed with Timber and Wood-Based Materials" (SP 549.1311500.2026). The document establishes fire safety requirements applicable to apartment buildings with a height of 5 to 15 meters, covering the entire process of design, construction, capital repair, reconstruction, and changes in functional use. In 2024, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations conducted fire resistance and fire hazard tests on load-bearing and enclosing structures, providing a scientific basis for the formulation of these rules.
On April 1, 2026, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations approved and officially implemented the first set of fire safety rules aimed at five-story apartment buildings constructed with timber structures. According to Order No. 136 of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations dated February 26, 2026, the rulebook SP 549.1311500.2026, "Multi-Family Residential Buildings Constructed with Timber and Wood-Based Materials: Fire Safety Requirements," was approved. The document came into effect on April 1, 2026.
This document establishes fire safety requirements applicable to design, construction, capital repair, reconstruction, and changes in functional use. The rules apply to all apartment buildings ranging from 5 to 15 meters in height. According to the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, the agency's experts conducted fire resistance and fire hazard tests on load-bearing and enclosing structures in 2024. They also tested 10 materials used in evacuation routes and external wall systems, and carried out fire experiments on fragments of a three-story timber building.
The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations emphasized that the adopted rules constitute a regulatory framework for the safe construction of high-rise timber buildings and the development of modern technologies. The implementation of this document will provide crucial regulatory safeguards for the promotion of multi-story timber buildings in Russia.
Industry insiders point out that as the global construction industry transitions towards low-carbon practices, timber construction is expanding from low-rise residential houses to multi-story and even high-rise structures. The introduction of fire safety rules for multi-story timber buildings in Russia aligns with global trends and clears regulatory hurdles for the large-scale application of timber in taller buildings. For Russia, a country endowed with abundant forest resources, this not only facilitates the development of the domestic deep wood processing industry but also contributes to achieving a green and low-carbon transformation in the construction sector.
(Source: Izvestia)
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