Our approach with the Grand Challenges Initiative was to begin with topics that are not unique to fire engineering, but instead represent pressing global challenges where fire safety science and engineering can contribute to ongoing discussions that affect the daily lives of billions.
Rather than selecting these unilaterally, the SFPE Foundation polled members of the SFPE community and other stakeholders to solicit input. Based on survey and interview feedback, four topics were selected: Energy & Infrastructure, Resilience & Sustainability, Climate Change, and Digitalization, Artificial Intelligence, & Cybersecurity. These topics are now the focus of the four GCI Working Groups. Read on for more information about what is included in each topic.
Energy & Infrastructure
New (renewable) energy generation, storage, and distribution technologies are exploding in use around the world as humanity attempts to cut down on CO2 production. With these new technologies comes the need for new infrastructure, tests, risk assessments, safety guidelines, and more. Representative topics in this area include:
- Alternative energy generation
- Causes of vehicle fires
- Energy storage, including:
- Safer energy storage chemistries
- Safe transportation
- Containment for new products/damaged products
Learn more about the Energy & Infrastructure Working Group and read the Energy & Infrastructure White Paper.
Resilience & Sustainability
Increasing efforts to build and live in sustainable ways and to improve the resilience of communities against environmental challenges, including fire events, open up new areas of research. Representative topics in this area include:
- Assessing fire hazards of new building materials/practices
- Environmental impact of fire testing
- Fire risks in new (public) transport technologies
- Development of risk-based analysis to compare hazards of fire to long-term health impacts of fire mitigation measures
Learn more about the Resilience & Sustainability Working Group and read the Resilience & Sustainability White Paper.
Climate Change
The impacts and challenges of a changing climate have been increasingly visible, most obviously in the form of new and growing threats of wildfires and extended droughts. Representative topics in this area include:
- Building fire protection in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI)
- Environmental impact of fire and fire suppression activities
- Analysis of the impact of climate change on fire safety
Learn more about the Climate Change Working Group. and read the Climate Change White Paper.
Digitalization, Artificial Intelligence, & Cybersecurity
Digitalization and artificial intelligence play an increasing role in our societies, not only in business environments but also in people’s personal lives (e.g., through AI implementation on their cell phones). With this increased role come new opportunities to draw on these tools to enhance fire safety. Representative topics in this area include:
- Use of cloud-based home/consumer devices to pinpoint fire origins
- Drawing on cell phones to develop smart egress systems
- Big data and AI-technologies to model building fires
- Data mining to identify chemical process deviations
Learn more about the Digitalization, AI & Cybersecurity Working Group and read the Digitalization, AI & Cybersecurity White Paper.
You can also find a complete list of topics for all four areas in the GCI Topics Scope Document. If you have any questions or feedback, please reach out to Amanda Tarbet, Research Manager, at atarbet@sfpefoundation.org.