On 3^rd June, Prof Grunde Jomaas, the ERA Chair Holder of the FRISSBE project, delivered a lecture at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in Hefei. The talk, titled ‘Fire Safety Research Needs for a Sustainable Built Environment’, was part of the ongoing collaboration between FRISSBE and USTC’s State Key Laboratory of Fire Science.

During his presentation, Prof Jomaas introduced the FRISSBE project—its structure, timeline, and goals. With seven work packages and 37 deliverables, the five-year initiative aims to reinforce fire safety in sustainable building practices across Europe.

His talk addressed the growing tension between fire safety and the green transition. He discussed regulatory gaps in fire safety, energy, and sustainability; fire statistics involving electric vehicles; and the challenges of extinguishing EV fires in parking structures. The role of citizens in fire prevention was also highlighted.

To close, he presented FRISSBE’s Fire Safety Guideline for Buildings with Applied Photovoltaic Systems on Flat Roofs, a technical document aimed at minimising fire risks in renewable energy installations.

This event follows a series of exchanges between FRISSBE and USTC. In July 2023, we hosted Professors Xiaoyu Ju and Lizhong Yang, along with Dr Yutao Li, for a research visit at ZAG. In October, Prof Jomaas and Dr Ulises Rojas-Alva also participated in events with USTC researchers, further reinforcing the collaboration.

Both FRISSBE and USTC are partners in the International Master of Science in Fire Safety Engineering (IMFSE), and we look forward to deepening this cooperation.