Firewalls are typically made of which material known for its poor conductivity to heat?

Masonry is specifically recognized for its poor thermal conductivity, making it an ideal material for firewalls. Firewalls are critical components in fire protection systems, designed to prevent the spread of fire from one area to another. The properties of masonry, which include materials such as brick, concrete, and stone, provide significant resistance to fire due to their ability to absorb and retain heat without becoming ignited or conducting that heat efficiently.

When creating fire-resistant barriers, materials with low thermal conductivity help to slow down the passage of heat. This means that if a fire were to develop on one side of a masonry firewall, the heat would be less likely to transfer to the other side quickly, providing crucial additional time for occupants to evacuate and for firefighters to respond.

In contrast, materials such as wood and plastic have higher thermal conductivity, which makes them less suitable for firewall applications, as they can ignite more easily and allow heat transfer, increasing the risk of fire spreading. While steel is also used in various fire safety applications, it does not perform as well as masonry in terms of insulating against heat transfer in the context of fire resistance.