The delivery of approximately 270 construction projects has been delayed due to the introduction of more stringent fire safety measures by Dubai authorities, reported The National.

Experts have stated that consultants and manufacturers of aluminum composite panels (ACPs) are reviewing the new building codes, which will demand higher-rated cladding panels.

The division head of Danube Group’s Alucopanel Middle East business, Zohaib Rahman, stated that the main reason behind the delays were issues with meeting a version of the code that became legalized in 2012, which stipulates that panels and cladding systems into which panels are installed should be certified.

He added that although the system requirement was introduced in 2012, many were unaware of its requirements. The Civil Defense however affirmed the importance of upholding the code.

Some of the delays were caused not only by the Civil Defense, but also by the Dubai Municipality, which is responsible for overlooking the effect of fire not only on ACP-clad buildings but also all external facades, according to David Campbell, the regional director of Thomas-Bell-Wright International Consultants, specialized in the fire testing cladding systems.

All buildings are required to use the higher-rated A2 ACPs in their buildings, including those still under construction, according to Arabian Business.

The new codes include demands that panels are resistant to combustion and that they give off less smoke and don’t drip even when placed under extreme heat.