Technical News
Rockwool Fire Test Video
Witness the difference between certainty and doubt.
The Rockwool Fire Test video produced in association with Euroclad shows large scale ISO 9705 room corner tests conducted under laboratory conditions. The video depicts the fire behaviour of mineral wool insulation, used in all Euroclad roof and wall systems, and that of PIR plastic foam insulation.
Significantly, both manufacturers using mineral wool insulation and PIR plastic foam insulation claim that their products are safe in the event of a fire…press play on the video to see the results and make up your mind about what product you would rather use in your projects.
EUROCLAD SUPPORTS ABI’S CLARIFICATION OF “NON-COMBUSTIBLE BUILDING”
Euroclad Ltd, the UK’s leading manufacturer of metal roofing and cladding systems, has welcomed the decision by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) to clarify a paragraph in its sandwich panel guidance document that was being used to justify a potentially misleading claim that a construction using certain cladding products could be regarded as a “non-combustible building”.
The Technical Briefing document - Fire Performance of Sandwich Panel Systems – was produced specifically with the needs of insurance surveyors and under-writers in mind. However, a reference to the LPS 1181 fire standard in paragraph 4.4 of the document has been used out of context by some manufacturers to imply that plastic PIR foam products are non-combustible. The ABI are redrafting and revising the guidance to remove any misunderstanding.
Welcoming the announcement, Phil Cook, Managing Director at Euroclad said; “We congratulate the ABI on addressing this important issue.
“As a manufacturer of non-combustible systems, we appreciate that public safety cannot be understated. The true fire performance of products must be made clear and guidance must not be open to misinterpretation. The accurate identification of combustible and non-combustible materials is essential for fire risk assessment and the elimination of fire hazards. However, there is a lot of misinformation available as well as a lack of clear advice regarding statutory fire regulations. Anything which helps to clarify these important issues is welcome. Absolute clarity is the very minimum requirement where public safety is concerned.”
Euroclad manufactures and supplies a range of steel and aluminium cladding systems which use non-combustible cores and provide exceptional performance acoustically and thermally for the life of the building.
Corus launch HPS200®Ultra
Corus is proud to launch Colorcoat HPS200® Ultra pre-finished steel. The new product offers an exciting new colour range and dramatically improved colour and gloss performance, all supported by a significantly extended Confidex® Guarantee of 40 years. Combining outstanding performance and unrivalled reliability with impressive sustainability credentials, Colorcoat HPS200® Ultra is the result of sustained evolution and revolutionary coating technology.
The choice of pre-finished steel product is fundamental to both the visual appearance and long-term performance of the building envelope. Colour availability, colour retention and durability over time, as well as the physical emboss are important factors when considering the aesthetic aspects of a specification.
With over 40 years experience, Corus has an excellent understanding of how different colours perform and what is achievable through the many technical advances we have made. Using this knowledge, Corus has worked with a group of architects and colour specialists to consider our colour palette from the designer’s perspective. This group expressed a desire for more colours that connect with the natural environment and which can work effectively in a range of different contexts. The colours that resonated most were natural and subtle tones in blues, greens and greys. These work well individually and extend the potential for blending and toning colours on a building. Corus has used the group’s input to develop a new 40 colour palette, 17 of which are brand new. These colours reflect the theme of nature and provide a mix of subtle tones and stronger shades, which work well on their own or together.
Publication of Building Bulletin 100
' The publication of Building Bulletin 100 (BB 100) is a landmark in improving fire safety in schools. It brings together guidance on how to make schools even safer places for children to be in, with guidance on how to protect the continuity of their education.
BB 100 is both a design tool and a management aid. It shows clearly how the
requirements for life safety, enshrined in the Building Regulations, can be met in
the design of a new school or an extension. Innovative design may need to
employ fire safety engineering, a risk-based approach, and this guide explains what design teams
should do. It also covers the principles of fire safety management and describes fire protection
measures.
What makes this different from previous fire safety guides is that it stresses the importance of
protecting the fabric of schools. While the number of school fires has decreased over recent years,
they remain a major risk for schools. Each year around 1 in 20 schools experiences a fire and nearly
60% of school fires are started deliberately. The short-term effects of loss of facilities and equipment
can be calculated, but the longer-term effects of loss of coursework, disruption of classes and
lowering of morale are much harder to quantify. However, it is clear that a major fire is likely to
disrupt a child’s education for many months and could mean postponing tests and exams. '
Download a copy of Building Bulletin 100 - Click here [ 2.96MB]
CarbonNeutral building envelope
Through Corus Confidex Sustain™, we are now able to offer the world's first cradle to grave CarbonNeutral building envelope. This means for every 1kg of CO2 emitted by the pre-finished steel, cladding, fixings and insulation, Corus will offset 1kg in climate friendly projects overseas. These have a social as well as environmental benefit with investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in various locations worldwide.
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Available when Colorcoat HPS200® and/or Colorcoat Prisma® are specified as part of a Colorcoat® assessed cladding system, Confidex Sustain™ covers the whole cladding system, from the pre-finished steel used for the inner and outer sheets, to the fixings, insulation and spacer system if required.
These systems have been assessed to verify their composition and carbon emissions, and this information has been published in indivdual environmental product declarations, providing a summary of the environmental impacts from cradle to grave.
Corus has been working over a number of years to make Colorcoat HPS200® and Colorcoat Prisma® the most sustainable pre-finished steel products on the market. The introduction of Confidex Sustain™ complements this and further adds to their sustainability credentials. Importantly Confidex Sustain™ will offset the impact from the entire cladding system rather than just one element such as the pre-finished steel or production of the cladding. -
For more information on Confidex Sustain - Click here
New Environmental Product Declarations for Euroclad Systems - Click here