Over the last several decades, more and more plastic has been used in
the building industry, and with more plastics in buildings, the
International Building Code has had to update its requirements for the
flammability of those plastics.
It is at the point of the
proliferation of plastics and composites that the thermal barrier
section of the IBC code (and chapter 26 in general) came into useable
existence. However, “thermal barrier” is a confusing term for the fire
rating of a building element. It can easily be confused with terms like
“thermal insulation” or “thermal bridging”—terms that relate to the
transference of heat or cold through a material. Nevertheless, thermal
barrier, as defined by the IBC, is very specific to heat and fire as it
relates to safety.