France Sets Engineering And Validation Rules For Equivalent Fire-Safety Solutions

France has published two orders governing fire-safety engineering studies and independent validation of solutions that achieve an equivalent safety outcome. Both were signed on 5 November, published on 15 November 2026 and take effect on 16 November.

The engineering order covers public-access buildings, high-rise buildings, residential buildings and buildings used for professional activities. It addresses smoke control and fire resistance.

Studies Must Demonstrate The Safety Outcome

The engineering office must define the design fire scenarios, functional requirements, performance criteria and relevant engineering domains. It must perform the study and justify the proposed solution. Omitting either smoke control or fire resistance from the study requires justification.

The reference solution is a building compliant with applicable fire-safety rules and as close as possible to the proposed project's configuration. If defining a compliant reference solution is technically impossible, the engineering office must demonstrate and justify that impossibility. It must then establish compliance with the functional requirements and general safety objective.

The office that performs the engineering study cannot also act as the independent validator for the same project.

Accreditation And Transitional Bodies

The validation order requires accreditation by COFRAC or another national accreditation body under Regulation 765/2008. Accreditation can cover smoke control, fire resistance or both.

Article 5 also allows specified existing bodies to validate solutions for three years after the order enters into force. For fire resistance, this covers laboratories approved under Article R*141-16 of the Construction and Housing Code.

For smoke control, it covers bodies recognised as competent by the interior minister under Article DF4 for more than five years when the engineering order enters into force. This is a defined transitional route, rather than an exemption for every engineering firm.

Existing Requirement For Engineering Studies

Article R141-3, in force since 1 July 2026, already requires fire-safety engineering studies when a project uses an equivalent-effect solution. It provides for a ministerial order specifying study methods and any required performance criteria. The new engineering order supplies those detailed rules.