Fire-Resistant Building Panels

A fire-resistant structural building panel which, in use, defines a part of an internal wall of a building, said panel comprising a rectangular frame which borders a quantity of high density thermally insulating material and comprises upper and lower generally horizontal frame members each coated on at least one side with a solution including an intumescent material and each connected to generally vertical side frame members also coated on at least one side with a solution which contains an intumescent material;

• said building panel further comprising a plurality of equally dimensioned sheet members each coated on at least one side with a solution which includes an intumescent material and each adhered to its neighbouring sheet or sheet members;
• each sheet member being secured to said frame members and dimensioned to match the dimensions of the rectangular frame along the horizontal sides and one generally vertical side of the frame but to extend beyond the other vertical side of the frame to define a channel open to receive an additional vertical frame member of width and depth substantially equal to the width and depth respectively of the channel;
• said building panel further including an internal open-ended conduit which extends downwardly from the upper generally horizontal frame member and is dimensioned to receive cabling connectable to an electricity supply:
• and
• the arrangement being such that, if damaged, one or each outermost sheet member can be removed from the panel and replaced by a fresh sheet member without significant damage to the surface of the underlying panel.