Fire safety engineers have worried for years that the kind of insulated metallic skin that experts believe helped carry flames up a high-rise apartment building in London, killing dozens, posed a hidden danger.
Panels of the armor-like “cladding” have become a popular facade on tall buildings worldwide, both for their sleek look and energy-saving virtues. They also have helped fuel spectacular infernos in the Middle East, Europe, Asia and the United States.
Some experts worry that with energy efficiency a priority worldwide, the proliferation of “green” buildings has the unintended consequence of fanning fire danger. Though cladding can be flame-resistant, the result can be deadly when it is not.
One prominent green building group says the Grenfell Tower fire, which killed at least 58, could be an important learning moment.