European Fire Safety Conferences and Research - What Is Happening in 2025 and 2026

Editorial note: reviewed on 3 July 2026. Sentences shortened for readability; regulatory references checked; event details as published by the organisers.

European fire safety practice is shaped by conferences, research outputs and standards activity. For IIESMS members these events support CPD, horizon scanning and professional evidence. The round-up below covers the main European fixtures across 2025 and 2026.

SFPE European Conference and Expo — Edinburgh, April 2025

The Society of Fire Protection Engineers held its European Conference and Expo on Fire Safety Engineering on 9 and 10 April 2025 in Edinburgh. The programme ran to more than 40 presentations. Topics included structural fire engineering, electric vehicles, parking structures, building envelopes, timber construction, fire modelling, human behaviour and smoke control. Professor Luke Bisby of the University of Edinburgh delivered the opening keynote. The relevance for Irish practice is direct: timber construction and envelope fire performance are both areas where the 2024 Part B amendment (S.I. No. 108 of 2024) changed Irish requirements.

5th European Symposium on Fire Safety Science — Ljubljana, September 2025

ESFSS 2025 took place from 3 to 5 September 2025 in Ljubljana, organised by FRISSBE at the Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute (ZAG) and endorsed by the International Association of Fire Safety Science. Around 150 participants from 25 countries attended. The programme covered battery and solar cell fire safety, sustainable building materials, fire risk analysis methods, human behaviour and evacuation effectiveness. Presentation awards went to research on engineering assumptions and on energy terms in timber-lined compartments; the poster award addressed thermal radiation from hydrogen jet flames. The sustainability and timber themes speak directly to Irish practice as engineered timber use grows under the Euroclass classification regime.

BSI Fire Safety Conference — London, January 2026

The British Standards Institution held its Fire Safety Conference on 29 January 2026 at the IET, Savoy Place, London. The programme brought together regulators, standards leaders and practitioners. Topics included building and residential safety, product compliance and testing, competency frameworks, and the digital golden thread of fire safety information. The golden thread concept maps closely to Ireland's new duty to provide fire safety system information to building owners on completion of works, introduced under the 2024 Part B amendment. Delegate places were priced at GBP 230 with accredited CPD.

Fire Sprinkler International — Paris, April 2026

Fire Sprinkler International 2026 is scheduled for 22 and 23 April 2026 in Paris, supported by the European Fire Sprinkler Network. The Salzburg 2025 edition drew over 400 delegates and 60 exhibitors; the Paris programme lists around 50 speakers. The timing matters for Irish professionals: the 2024 Part B amendment introduced new sprinkler provisions for care facility buildings, and practitioners advising that sector should confirm the current requirements against the published guidance. Competence in the design, installation and maintenance of sprinkler systems in healthcare settings is set to be in demand as the sector adapts.

15th IAFSS International Symposium — La Rochelle, June 2026

The 15th International Symposium on Fire Safety Science runs from 7 to 12 June 2026 at Espace Encan, La Rochelle, organised by the International Association of Fire Safety Science. It is the premier global fire science gathering, and the proceedings set the research agenda for the years that follow. For members engaged in fire engineering research or evidence-based design, it is the fixture of 2026.

Using these events for CPD

Attendance, presentations and published proceedings all count towards the IIESMS CPD baseline of 20 hours per year when recorded in the CPD log. Members who cannot travel can still draw on published outputs: most of the events above publish programmes, papers or recordings. The IIESMS Fire Safety Group circulates highlights and hosts discussion of what the research means for Irish practice.

References

SFPE — European Conference and Expo 2025 programme · FRISSBE / ZAG — ESFSS 2025 · BSI — Fire Safety Conference 2026 · European Fire Sprinkler Network — Fire Sprinkler International 2026 · IAFSS — 15th International Symposium · S.I. No. 108 of 2024 — Building Regulations (Part B Amendment) Regulations 2024.