Dr Aleš Jug, head of the Fire Research and Innovation Unit at the Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute (ZAG), was recently featured on RTV SLO in the program Izzivi znanosti požarne varnosti (Challenges in Fire Safety Science).

In the interview, Dr Jug discussed the urgent issues facing fire safety in modern buildings. He highlighted how new synthetic construction materials can ignite faster and burn at higher temperatures compared to traditional organic materials such as wood—conditions that significantly accelerate the spread of indoor fires.

Dr Jug also reflected on the recent European Symposium on Fire Safety Science (ESFSS 2025), organized in Ljubljana by FRISSBE, which brought together more than 150 researchers from around the world. A key takeaway from the symposium—and from Dr Jug’s remarks—is the critical need for collaboration between science, industry, and regulators to create updated guidelines and standards that reflect the realities of today’s building materials.

The Fire Research and Innovation Unit that Dr Jug leads was established as part of the FRISSBE ERA Chair Horizon 2020 project, with the mission of advancing knowledge and shaping safer, more sustainable built environments.

‘Current legal fire-safety criteria often overlook the ignition properties and combustibility of modern synthetic building materials,’ Dr Jug emphasized, calling for stronger research-informed policies.

This interview underscores FRISSBE’s commitment to bridging cutting-edge research with practical fire safety solutions for a rapidly changing construction landscape.