The Ministry of Education has allocated 223.7 million euros for fire safety upgrades in Italian school buildings. Work must be completed by December 31, 2026. Hospitals, public offices, public accommodation facilities: the situation is the same. Hundreds of construction sites open across Italy, all with a common requirement in their specifications — REI doors.
If you manage a construction company, are a site surveyor, or a purchasing manager, this article is for you. It doesn't explain what an REI door is — you already know that. It explains what you need to order correctly, what classes are required in the most common public procurement contexts, and how to receive the documentation that the works director will request at the end of the project.
The Context: Why there is such high demand right now
The PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan) has created an unprecedented wave of construction projects on public buildings. Mission 4 — Education and Research — finances fire safety adaptation interventions for primary and secondary schools with contributions up to 500,000 euros per single building.
But schools are just the tip of the iceberg. PNRR projects are simultaneously progressing on:
- Community Homes and Community Hospitals (Mission 6 — Health)
- Public offices and PA headquarters
- Municipal sports and cultural facilities
- University residences
In all these contexts, fire safety adaptation almost always includes the replacement or new installation of REI doors. The stringent deadline of the PNRR — works awarded and completed by the end of 2026 — means that those who need to order doors have no time to lose with slow supplies or incomplete documentation.
What the Specifications Say: REI classes in the most common public contexts
In public procurement specifications, the required REI class depends on the type of building, its height, and the specific point where the door is to be installed. Here are the most frequent cases found in PNRR construction sites.
Schools (Ministerial Decree August 26, 1992 and Ministerial Decree August 7, 2017)
Schools are among the activities subject to CPI (Fire Prevention Certificate) with precise requirements:
- Stairs and escape corridors: minimum REI 30 for buildings up to 2 floors, REI 60 for taller buildings
- Rooms with specific risks (boiler room, generator room, archives): REI 60 or REI 120 depending on the surface area and fire load
- Storage of educational materials with high fire load: REI 60
Healthcare facilities (Ministerial Decree September 18, 2002)
- Compartmentation between departments: REI 60
- Fire escape stairs: REI 60
- High-risk rooms (operating rooms, pharmacy, oxygen storage): REI 90 or REI 120
- Elevator shaft: REI corresponding to the fire height of the building
Public offices (Ministerial Decree February 22, 2006)
- Stairs and corridors: REI 30 for buildings up to 24 m in fire height, REI 60 above
- Archives and storage: REI 60
General rule: In public procurement specifications, when the exact class is not specified, REI 60 is the most frequently required minimum requirement for escape routes. REI 120 almost always appears for boiler rooms, heating plants, and garages.
⚠️ The fire safety designer and the works director are the official references for the specific REI class for each point of the construction site. The above indications are indicative — the specifications and the building's Emergency Plan are binding.
The documentation you will need at the end of the project
This is the point that stops most construction sites. The REI door is not just a product — it is a certified system that requires specific documentation to close the file with the Fire Brigade and update the CPI.
Document 1 — CE marking and Declaration of Performance (DoP) Since November 2019, external pedestrian fire doors and industrial doors have been required to have CE marking. For internal doors, both the ministerial approval regime (REI) and CE marking (EI) still coexist. In practice, the two classifications are equivalent — REI 60 = EI2 60 — and doors with valid ministerial approval are still accepted in Italian specifications.
Each door must be accompanied by:
- Copy of the approval certificate or CE marking documentation
- Manufacturer's declaration of conformity
- Installation, use, and maintenance manual
Document 2 — Declaration of correct installation The installer — who must be a qualified maintenance technician — draws up and signs the declaration of correct installation at the end of the installation. This is the document required by Ministerial Decree May 4, 1998 and requested by the Fire Brigade module. Without this document, the door is not "up to standard" even if the product is certified.
Document 3 — Maintenance logbook For activities subject to CPI, each REI door must be entered in the fire safety system's maintenance logbook. The document collects the periodic checks required by standard UNI 11473-1:2013.
What to always ask the supplier: approval plate on the door leaf, complete documentation in the delivery package, user manual. If the documentation is incomplete, the door will not pass the Fire Brigade inspection.
Ready Delivery: why it matters on PNRR construction sites
PNRR construction sites have non-negotiable deadlines. A delay in the supply of REI doors can block the completion of the site, commissioning, and ultimately, the disbursement of the contribution.
FIP Porte keeps the most requested standard classes and sizes in stock for Italian public construction sites:
- REI 60 single leaf, sizes 70×205, 80×205, 90×205 cm
- REI 120 single leaf, sizes 80×205, 90×205 cm
- REI 60 and REI 120 double leaf in the most common sizes
For non-standard sizes — frequent in historic buildings undergoing renovation — production takes place upon order with confirmed lead times communicated at the time of order.
Shipping is carried out by specialized courier for windows and doors throughout Italy. Each shipment includes all the necessary documentation for compliant installation.
Separating Supply from Installation: the advantage for the company
In public construction sites, the awarded company can choose to purchase the doors directly from the manufacturer and rely on a local qualified maintenance technician for installation only.
This approach has two concrete advantages:
Savings on supply: by purchasing directly from FIP Porte at factory price, without the margins of the local retailer or wholesaler, the cost of the supply alone is significantly reduced. On a construction site with 20-30 REI doors, the difference is substantial.
Flexibility in installation: the company chooses the qualified maintenance technician with whom it already has a trusting relationship, optimizing installation times according to the project schedule.
The product conformity documentation is provided by FIP Porte with the delivery. The declaration of correct installation is issued by the installing technician.
How to Order: the 4-step process
Step 1 — Measurement survey Measure the wall opening of each doorway: width and height at the narrowest point. For historic buildings, measurements are rarely standard — take the exact measurement of each opening.
Step 2 — Identify the required REI class From the specifications or the fire safety designer's report, extract the REI class and specifications for each point (single/double leaf, panic bar if any, portholes if any).
Step 3 — Order with correct measurements On porteitaliane.com you can configure and order REI doors with wall opening measurements. For multiple orders from a construction site, contact us via WhatsApp for a dedicated quote with scheduled delivery.
Step 4 — Receive documentation Each order is processed with complete documentation: approval plate, declaration of conformity, installation manual. Keep everything in the project file.
Frequently Asked Questions from Construction Sites
Can I use REI doors with ministerial approval (REI) on PNRR construction sites or do I need CE marking (EI)? Both are accepted in Italian specifications. Ministerial Decree June 21, 2004 establishes that REI 60 and EI2 60 are equivalent. Doors with valid ministerial approval comply with current regulations. Always check with the works director if the specific specifications explicitly require CE marking.
Can I order REI doors with panic bars for emergency exits? Yes. The PROGET range of REI doors is available with certified panic bars (EXUS, TWIST) for emergency exits as required by regulations. The panic bar is an integral part of the certified system and cannot be replaced with uncertified components.
Do REI door installers need specific certifications? Yes. Installation must be carried out by qualified maintenance technicians, who issue the declaration of correct installation upon completion. As of September 25, 2025, new rules for the qualification of maintenance technicians, as provided for by the Control Decree, have come into force.
How many REI doors are typically needed in a school? It depends on the size of the building and the number of floors. A middle school of 2-3 floors with 10-15 classrooms typically requires 8-15 REI doors for stairs, corridors, and technical rooms. The fire safety designer's report indicates the exact number and location of each door.
Can I receive a quote for a multiple order from a construction site? Yes. For orders of 5 doors or more, contact us via WhatsApp with the list of required measurements and REI classes. We will prepare a quote with dedicated prices and a delivery plan tailored to your construction site's schedule.
How do I handle non-standard measurements of historic buildings? Historic public buildings often have door openings with non-standard measurements. FIP Porte produces custom sizes with confirmed lead times communicated at the time of order. For very non-standard measurements — very wide openings or particular heights — contact us before ordering to verify feasibility and lead times.
Order REI doors for your construction site
FIP Porte manufactures and sells online certified REI doors in classes 60 and 120, single and double leaf, with all standard sizes available for immediate delivery and custom sizes by order. Italian production, complete documentation included, shipping throughout Italy with specialized courier.
For construction site orders and custom quotes:
WhatsApp: available for multiple quotes and delivery planning based on the schedule
