The Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) will host the SFPE Engineering Solutions Symposium on Storage Fire Protection Challenges from 12 to 14 August 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. The three-day event will address fire protection issues across various storage environments, including cold storage, distribution centres, and automated storage systems.
The symposium will feature technical presentations, panel discussions, and a live fire test to support the professional development of fire protection engineers. The first two days will include sessions on fire risks in automated storage facilities and lithium-ion battery hazards. Presentations will explore engineering approaches to automated retrieval systems, sprinkler configurations for high-challenge commodities, and water supply strategies in complex storage layouts.
Sessions will also cover cold storage design, performance-based solutions, lithium-ion battery loss prevention, and commodity classification. On the final day, attendees will visit the UL Solutions built environment test facility in Northbrook, Illinois, to observe a full-scale fire experiment and interact with researchers and fire safety professionals.
The live demonstration aims to bridge theoretical guidance and practical application through direct exposure to fire testing. Registration is open on the SFPE website, with early bird discounts available until 21 July 2025. More information, including the agenda and speaker list, is available at www.sfpe.org/storagesymposium.
