Logistics centres in the Netherlands are subject to fire safety requirements drawn from multiple regulatory layers: the Dutch BBL (Besluit Bouwwerken Leefomgeving, formerly Bouwbesluit), European standards for fire-resistant products, and sector-specific regulations such as PGS15 where hazardous substances are stored. The classification required for any given opening depends on a project-specific fire safety calculation, not a single fixed rule. The sections below answer the most common specification questions architects and fire safety engineers encounter when designing or renovating a logistics facility.<\/p>\n
Logistics centres typically require fire-resistant separating elements classified under EN 13501-2 as either EW or EI1\/EI2, depending on the function of the separation and the outcome of the project’s fire safety calculation. The E criterion means the door stops flames and hot gases from passing through. The W criterion additionally limits radiant heat transfer through the door \u2014 this is the Dutch standard baseline criterion. EI1 and EI2 both apply a stricter insulation requirement: EI1 limits the temperature rise on the unexposed side to a lower threshold, while EI2 permits a higher temperature rise on the unexposed side. The correct classification for each opening must be determined per project by a qualified fire safety engineer or the local authority.<\/p>\n
In practice, the distinction matters most at the specification stage. EW60 is the Dutch baseline criterion under the BBL for certain separating functions, but it is not always sufficient for every application. When a fire compartment boundary separates a high-risk zone from an occupied area, or when an insurer or client imposes stricter requirements, EI1 or EI2 may be required instead. Architects specifying doors for logistics facilities should never assume that EW automatically covers every opening \u2014 this depends on the project-specific fire safety calculation, not on a general rule.<\/p>\n
For large industrial openings such as loading bay doors, roller doors, or internal transport passages, the challenge is sourcing a product that achieves the required classification at non-standard dimensions. Metacon-Next’s fire-rated product range<\/a> includes roller doors, overhead doors, and sliding doors available in classifications including EW60, EW90, EW120, EI1-60, EI2-60, EI2-90, and EI1-120, including for openings that fall outside standard dimensions.<\/p>\n Contact us<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n The BBL (Besluit Bouwwerken Leefomgeving) sets the absolute minimum fire safety requirements for warehouse and logistics buildings, including maximum fire compartment sizes and minimum fire resistance durations for separating elements. These minimums define the legal floor, not the design target. In most logistics projects, the actual requirements are more demanding because of project-specific fire safety calculations, sector regulations such as PGS15, client specifications, or insurer conditions.<\/p>\n Under the BBL, the required fire resistance duration for a compartment boundary is expressed in minutes and linked to the building’s use function and height. For industrial and warehouse buildings, the baseline is typically 30 or 60 minutes, but this can increase significantly depending on the risk profile. The BBL does not prescribe a single fixed classification for all warehouses, and any claim that a specific classification is universally sufficient for this building type should be treated with caution. What changes the required classification is not the BBL itself but the specific situation: a deviation from standard building regulations, a sector-specific regulation such as PGS15, a client requirement, or an insurer requirement.<\/p>\n Architects working on permit-ready designs need to demonstrate that every specified product meets the applicable classification for that specific opening, supported by CE-marked products with classification reports from an independent test body. Products tested by Efectis and accompanied by full technical documentation satisfy this requirement in the Dutch permitting process. For industrial fire doors, two CE marking standards apply simultaneously: EN 16034 (fire- and smoke-resisting closing elements) and EN 13241 (industrial doors generally). Both are mandatory and must not be treated as interchangeable.<\/p>\n Every opening in a fire compartment boundary weakens the compartmentation unless it is closed by a certified fire-resistant element that matches the required classification of the surrounding wall. In logistics centres, large openings for forklift traffic, internal transport, and loading bays are among the most common points where compartmentation is compromised when the wrong product is specified or when a fire door is held open during operations.<\/p>\n The size of an opening directly affects product selection. Standard fire door dimensions rarely accommodate the wide or tall openings typical of logistics facilities. When a door opening exceeds standard dimensions, the product must be individually tested or covered by an extended application of results (per EN 15269-1 to -20) that explicitly includes the required dimensions. A classification report that covers only smaller sizes does not automatically extend to a larger opening of the same product type.<\/p>\n Hold-open devices add a further specification layer. A fire door that must remain open during forklift operations requires an approved hold-open mechanism that releases automatically on alarm. This is a certified function, not an improvised solution, and the hold-open system must be included in the product’s classification documentation. Architects should confirm this at the specification stage, not after order placement.<\/p>\n For logistics environments where internal traffic cannot be interrupted, automatic fire doors with magnetic hold-open devices provide a compliant solution that maintains compartmentation without blocking operational flow. Metacon-Next<\/a> designs products specifically for these demanding conditions, with automatic closing integrated into the door’s certified configuration.<\/p>\n When specifying a fire-rated door for a logistics centre, the minimum documentation required is a CE declaration of performance, a classification report from an accredited test body, and evidence that the product’s tested scope covers the intended application, including dimensions, glazing, hardware, and hold-open devices if applicable. For projects with BREEAM or LEED ambitions, an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is also required.<\/p>\n The classification report is the central document. It records the test conditions, the product configuration tested, and the resulting classification per EN 13501-2. Architects must verify that the classification report covers the specific configuration being specified, not just the product family in general. A door with a different infill, frame depth, or hardware set than the tested configuration may not carry the same classification.<\/p>\n One of the most common causes of delay during permitting is incomplete documentation supplied after order placement. Architects who need documentation at the specification stage, not after a purchase decision, should work with manufacturers who publish their certificates and classification reports openly. Metacon-Next makes all certificates, classification reports, and EPDs publicly available, which allows architects to close a specification file before a contractor is even involved. Full documentation is accessible via the product pages<\/a> without requiring a sales conversation.<\/p>\n Contact us<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n PGS15 applies when a logistics facility stores hazardous substances, including flammable liquids, aerosols, or oxidising agents above defined quantity thresholds. When PGS15 applies, it imposes fire safety requirements that go beyond the BBL minimums, including stricter compartmentation standards, specific fire resistance durations, and in some cases requirements for fire-resistant separation between storage areas and other parts of the building.<\/p>\n PGS15 is a sector-specific guideline developed for the storage of packaged hazardous substances. It is referenced in environmental permits and is enforced by the competent authority as a condition of the permit. This means that a logistics building storing chemicals, cleaning products, or aerosols at scale may face compartmentation requirements that are determined by PGS15 rather than the BBL alone, and the BBL’s minimums become irrelevant where PGS15 sets a higher standard.<\/p>\n For architects, the practical consequence is that the fire safety classification required for doors in a PGS15-regulated area must be derived from the environmental permit conditions and the applicable PGS15 requirements for that substance category, not from a general assumption about warehouse classifications. This is a project-specific determination that requires coordination with the fire safety engineer and the environmental permit holder. The required classification \u2014 whether EW, EI1, or EI2, and for how many minutes \u2014 can only be confirmed once the project-specific calculation has been completed.<\/p>\n When PGS15 applies and the required classification is confirmed, the specification must include a product that demonstrably meets that classification with full documentation. Architects who need to verify whether a specific Metacon-Next product meets the required classification for a PGS15 application can contact the team directly<\/a> or consult the technical documentation available through the dealer network. For projects requiring a formal quotation based on confirmed specifications, the quotation request page<\/a> provides a direct route to the right information without unnecessary back-and-forth.<\/p>\n Fire safety requirements for logistics centres are never resolved by a single rule. They emerge from the intersection of the BBL, project-specific fire safety calculations, sector regulations such as PGS15, and client or insurer conditions. Architects who treat each opening as a specification decision with its own classification requirement \u2014 supported by complete and verifiable documentation \u2014 are best positioned to deliver a permit-ready design without corrections. For more information about Metacon-Next’s certified product range and the documentation available at the specification stage, visit the about us page<\/a> or browse the full product overview<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Dutch logistics centres face layered fire safety rules \u2014 here’s what architects must specify correctly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":27733,"template":"","categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27407","knowledge-base","type-knowledge-base","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat does the Dutch BBL prescribe for warehouses?<\/h2>\n
How do large industrial door openings affect fire compartmentation?<\/h2>\n
What documentation is required when specifying a fire-rated door?<\/h2>\n
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When does PGS15 impose stricter fire safety demands on logistics buildings?<\/h2>\n