The last few years has seen a rise in multi-unit residential design and construction, and with it an increasing popularity of intertenancy (IT) barrier systems to achieve superior noise attenuation and fire resistance between dwellings.

How an IT barrier system works

Central IT barrier systems come in many forms, such as aerated concrete, concrete tilt-slab, and plasterboard systems. The main advantage is that the Sound Transmission Class (STC) and Fire Resistance Rating (FRR) is substantially achieved by a heavy central barrier between frames, leaving the unit linings conventional. Depending on the central barrier type, several internal lining service penetrations can often be permitted, without the need for complex fire-stopping or acoustic treatment.

Fixings that fail in a fire, such as aluminium clips, connect the central barrier to the frames either side. In the case of a fire in one unit, the clips on the affected side fail, allowing that unit to detach, whilst the protective central IT barrier remains connected to the adjacent unit. GIB Barrierline® was put to a real-life fire test in a townhouse development under construction at Papakura Auckland, April 2021. Pictures taken after fire-fighting operations show substantial damage to the fire-affected structure, and adjacent framing protected by the central barrier. Although the full IT wall system had not yet been completed, GIB Barrierline® prevented spread of fire and wider damage to neighbouring units in the development.

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