PROMASEAL products from Promat Australia were specified for the firestopping project at the $100 million Adelaide Botanic High School, which opened in 2019.

Designed by Design Inc and Cox Architecture, and built by LendLease and structural engineer specialists AECOM, the school provides students from inner-city suburbs with greater access to high quality secondary education.

The school features state-of-the-art science, design and technology laboratories; the latest equipment in engineering and investigative science; food technology kitchens; maker spaces to encourage creativity through design technology, media studies and art; smart, environment-friendly buildings that minimise energy and water use; modern library and research centre; extensive external learning and recreation spaces; indoor gymnasium and fitness studio; music and drama practice, performance and learning spaces; performing arts theatre; cafeteria with outdoor terrace; and secure basement bicycle parking for 170 bicycles.

NSG Boffa Electrical Specialists used PROMASEAL fire pillows and PROMASEAL acrylic sealant to seal slab and wall penetrations. PROMASEAL’s extra-large pillows are relatively easy to install; using these pillows, installers eliminate the need to wrap the cable and cable tray above and below the slab.

PROMASEAL fire pillows are manufactured from treated cloth filled with a high density, granulated fire seal material. When exposed to fire, the pillows remain in place, thus forming a fire barrier of a solid mass of insulating material. PROMASEAL pillows are used in situations where other fire barrier solutions cannot be used. In the case of smaller penetrations, it is often more economical to use the pillows, especially if labour costs are a concern, because the required fire performance can be achieved with the application of just a few pillows. The pillows can also be easily placed in many openings where it would be difficult to apply other products or wet systems.

The Australian Building Code required a Fire Resistance Level (FRL) of -/120/120 for this construction, which was easily met with the approved and recommended Promat penetration systems used throughout this construction.