Inside the FM Research Campus
Watch how FM recreates extreme events to understand
loss and applies those findings to help clients prevent it.
FM Research Campus
Where science and engineering drive loss prevention.
Built on engineering. Backed by testing.
At FM, insurance starts with preventing loss, not transferring it. At the FM Research
Campus, full‑scale experiments recreate real‑world hazards to understand how loss actually happens
and how to stop it. Those insights don’t stay in the lab; they directly shape FM standards, engineering
guidance, and underwriting. This closed loop between research and application is what enables FM to
reduce uncertainty, strengthen resilience, and help clients prevent loss before it occurs.
The world’s leading disaster prevention center
Our state‑of‑the‑art laboratories are designed to simulate severe physical hazards—from large-scale
fires to industrial explosions and seismic activity. These controlled environments allow FM
to observe how structures, systems, and materials behave under extreme conditions, and
to validate loss prevention strategies before they are applied at client locations.
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Fire technology laboratories
The Large Burn Lab (LBL), the largest facility of its kind, is the centerpiece of the FM Research Campus. It enables full-scale structure fire testing to study fire development and effectiveness of protection solutions, with adjustable ceilings and precise water delivery supporting a wide range of sprinkler and mist scenarios. Smaller labs advance understanding before full-scale testing.
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Explosion Hazards Lab
A small gas leak or dust cloud can escalate into a catastrophic event in milliseconds. In the Explosion Hazards Lab, FM performs large-scale testing to measure the explosive properties of gases, dusts, and hybrid mixtures. These findings inform suppression systems, venting solutions, and damage-limiting construction— helping reduce overpressure and contain damage.
The unique science of property loss protection
At the FM Research Campus, research is grounded in evidence, experimentation, and application. FM
experts combine simulations and mathematical models with controlled laboratory testing
and full‑scale experiments. This integrated approach allows assumptions to be tested, variables to be
isolated, and outcomes to be validated—building confidence in how loss prevention strategies will
perform in the real world.
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Fire and explosion hazards and protection
FM conducts independent, rigorous research focused on reducing fire and explosion‑related property risk. This research supports engineering guidance used globally and informs real‑world loss prevention strategies. Areas of study include:
- Material flammability research
- Gas and dust explosion research
- Fire suppression research
- Property loss prevention systems testing
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Large equipment loss protection
Research includes programs to monitor equipment and to detect incipient failure early, enabling intervention and preventing loss.
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Renewable energy technology
Evaluating photovoltaic systems against the hazards of hail, wind, weathering and fire, FM Research Campus results help property owners make resilient choices for their renewable energy system capital investments and operational choices.
From insight to action
Campus insights power risk management strategies, engineering guidance and technical reports that shape loss prevention globally.
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Engineering guidance
Research insights inform FM engineering guidance documents—commonly known as Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets— used by field engineers and referenced in regulatory standards and codes around the world.
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Risk management strategies
Research findings deepen understanding of potential hazards and support the development and implementation of more effective prevention‑focused risk management strategies.
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Technical resources
Research Campus data supports accurate risk assessment and science-based loss prevention solutions, informing FM engineering and underwriting. FM also publishes key findings in journal articles and conference proceedings to advance the property protection discipline and address evolving risks.