Working group proposes five initiatives to improve fire protection in particulary importent historic buildings

After the fire at Børsen, an internal inter-ministerial working group was set up to investigate whether our particularly important historic buildings are protected well enough by the rules today.

The working group consisted of representatives from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing, the Danish Social and Housing Agency, the Ministry of Culture, the Agency for Culture and Palaces, the Ministry of Civil Protection and Emergency Management and the Danish Emergency Management Agency.

The working group was tasked with examining the current legislation, the relevant building stock and the fire challenges of these buildings.

The working group has also identified the challenges in the legislation and proposed concrete initiatives. In addition, the working group has examined international models from Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom and included experiences from Danish Emergency Services, the Capital Region's Emergency Services and Historic Houses.

Against this background, the working group proposes the following initiatives, which fall under the Guidelines for the Promotion of Child Welfare and the Child Welfare Administration. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing, the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Civil Protection and Emergency Preparedness:

• Pilot project for mapping special needs and action options for iconic buildings of national importance
  A pilot project of 2-5 iconic buildings of national importance, where a mapping of special needs and action options for fire protection and value rescue, etc. is carried out.
• Update and uplift of the circular
  Update of the circular on instructions for fire protection measures during construction work on listed buildings to ensure better fire protection of the construction site.
• Clarification
  in the Building Preservation Act that fire protection must be taken into account.
• Amendment of fire inspections
  Introduction of an extended fire inspection of certain listed buildings. It will have to be clarified whether and to what extent special historic buildings can be covered by requirements for extended fire inspections.
• Support for building works on listed buildings
  Better opportunities to provide support for building works that support fire protection measures.

Minister for Social Affairs and Housing Sophie Hæstorp Andersen says:

The fire at Børsen clearly showed how vulnerable our common cultural heritage can be. The working group was set up as the first step in the work of looking at whether our iconic buildings are protected well enough by the rules today. The working group has made five proposals, and in my area the work has already begun.

- Sophie Hæstorp Andersen

Minister for Civil Protection and Emergency Preparedness Torsten Schack Pedersen says:

In connection with the fire at Børsen, the rescue service – with the Greater Copenhagen Emergency Service in the lead – delivered a very extensive effort that stretched over more than a week. The report focuses on fire prevention so that we can take even better care of our historic buildings in the future.

- Torsten Schack Pedersen