Fire Performance
The focus here is specifically on the building envelope and understanding how to satisfy these requirements when using pre-finished steel cladding systems. Because of its inherent strength, pre-finished steel roof and wall cladding complies very easily with the fire regulations in most situations.
The following guidelines should be considered when specifying roof and wall cladding systems:
- Class 0 coatings should be specified. All Colorcoat® products for the building envelope meet the requirements of class 0.
- Systems achieving a grade AA should be used for roofing. All Colorcoat® products for the building elements can achieve grade AA.
- Check the stated fire resistance (REI) properties of the roof and wall cladding systems that you are considering and make sure that they are suited to the type of building.
- Check with insurers whether the building will fall in the high-risk category, in which case LPCB or FM panels should be specified.
- Poor workmanship can negate the benefits which come from using a good product. Only use reputable contractors.
If the pre-finished steel is not Colorcoat®, it is important to ensure that a test certificate or BBA certificate is provided proving that the material is class 0.
The Building Regulations - Fire
The basic concepts are the same in all the regions of the UK and Ireland, but it is worth noting that, because of its inherent strength, pre-finished steel roof and wall cladding complies very easily with the fire regulations in most situations.
