A fire retardant undercoat that can help protect buildings from bushfires has won a People’s Choice Award in the Shaping Australia Awards.
Created by Universities Australia and handed out in late February, the awards recognise contributions of the university sector to the community.
Developed by University of New South Wales Professor Guan Yeoh and his team, the FSA Firecoat range of undercoats comprises white and grey, suitable for either interior or exterior use.
FSA Firecoat says one of these is the first ever to achieve a BAL-40 rating, the highest rating any fire-retardant paint has achieved in the world.
“The paint was developed and commercialised with our industry partner Flame Security International and was partly funded via a $3 million Cooperative Research Centres Project grant from the Australian Government,” Professor Yeoh said.
“It passed stringent Australian standards testing and it is proven to provide increased protection against bushfires in areas prone to extreme fire conditions.”
Flame Security International spokesman Tony Overstead said Firecoat protects people, structures and the environment from fires.
“The paint can be applied as an undercoat to most external and internal surfaces, including brick, existing render, timber, aluminium, steel, concrete and plasterboard,” he says.
“It will last indefinitely as long as the protective layer of paint is maintained. It won’t irritate eyes or skin on contact.”