Fire Safety in Real Estate Developments: An Unsolvable Conundrum?

From July 1st, 2025, Decree 105/2025/ND-CP, guiding the Law on Fire Prevention, Firefighting, and Rescue came into force. This underscores the importance of fire safety in daily life and work, especially as fire safety remains a challenging issue, with many obstacles arising from the lack of coordination between the initial design stage and the conditions for acceptance and subsequent management and operation.

According to Mr. Tran Ngoc Duy, Deputy Director of Savills Hanoi’s Property Management Services, fire safety in real estate projects is a multifaceted issue, with the root cause of many problems often stemming from the project’s formation stage.

A core reason is the lack of early coordination between relevant units. Notably, the operation management unit is usually not involved in the design stage, resulting in aesthetically pleasing designs that hinder the operation and maintenance of the fire protection system.

Discussing this issue, Prof. Dr. Architect Pham Trong Thuat, Head of the Housing Architecture Department and President of the Council of the Hanoi University of Architecture, emphasized the importance of involving professional operation management consulting units from the design and construction stages.

This not only ensures that the work meets technical and operational requirements but also helps save investment costs and minimize adjustments after putting the project into use.

He noted that the early involvement of the operation and technical safety control team is essential to ensure that design solutions are not only aesthetically pleasing but also feasible and sustainable during long-term exploitation.

“The use of low-quality materials, incompatible systems, or rigid designs can lead to problems when the project is put into operation, causing difficulties in acceptance, and generating repair and upgrade costs, and more importantly, posing fire hazards that directly affect safety, reputation, and property values,” said Mr. Thuat.

Sharing the same view, Prof. Dr. Dao Huu Dan from the University of Firefighting and Prevention, stated that the national technical regulations, especially the National Technical Regulation on Fire Safety for Buildings and Works QCVN 06:2022/BXD, along with decrees and circulars related to fire prevention and control such as Decree No. 105/2025/ND-CP, are continuously being reviewed and tightened by the authorities.

This requires investors, design consulting units, and operation management units to continuously update their knowledge and apply the latest standards and regulations in practice. Non-compliance will not only face strict handling but also potentially cause serious safety hazards to the entire project.

Mr. Dan asserted that the requirements for construction materials and equipment must be prioritized. The materials used should be fire-resistant, non-toxic smoke-producing, and slow heat conductors. Fire protection equipment must be up to standard, with clear origins, regular quality inspections, and frequent maintenance. Design solutions for typical floor plans, elevations, and architectural structures also play a significant role.

Escape routes should be designed wide enough, unobstructed, with dual escape routes and safe refuge areas. Escape stairwells must be protected from smoke and fire. The building’s elevation should avoid flammable materials and ensure fire compartmentation between floors.

In terms of architectural structure, technical areas such as engine rooms and warehouses must be fire-separated, and wall/floor-penetrating pipes must be fire-treated. Escape doors should always open outwards and never be locked.

According to Savills’ representative, the coordination between design and operation management is the key to sustainable safety. In addition to a good design foundation, periodic inspection, maintenance, and upgrade during operation play a pivotal role in ensuring effective and sustainable fire protection.

“Ensuring fire safety in real estate projects is not just a mandatory cost but a strategic investment, creating sustainable value for the project, building community trust, and positioning the reputation of investors and operation management units in the market,” emphasized the Savills expert.