11 July 2008 09:09am

Eurobond Supports BRE's Clarification of the LPS1181 Series of Standards for Fire Performance

ABI, BRE, Fire Engineering, Fire Safety, Industry News, LPCB, LPS1181, Non-combustible

Eurobond has welcomed the decision by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) to demystify the facts behind the LPS-1181 series of standards for fire performance.

The clarification follows the Association of British Insurers’ (ABI) decision to change paragraph 4.4 from its Technical Briefing: Fire Performance of Sandwich Systems – May 2003 document which was being used to justify a potentially misleading claim that some cladding products could be regarded as non-combustible.

The paragraph of concern reads; “External claddings that are LPCB approved to LPS 1181 can be regarded as satisfying the original grade 2 construction rules or be classed as a non-combustible building. (Note: This grading does not imply that the material is non-combustible).” This paragraph was intended to give advice for fire insurance surveyors setting premiums but it has been used to imply that Polyisocyanurate (PIR) plastic foam-filled composite building panels are in some way non-combustible and comparable to products that are truly non-combustible, such as the mineral wool composite panelling Eurobond Europanel System.

The ABI Property Committee noted the paragraph was unclear and open to misinterpretation, agreeing the guidance is primarily intended for insurance purposes and not as a commentary on the combustibility of particular products.

As the UK’s leading manufacturer of mineral wool cored composite panel systems Eurobond fully supported the ABI’s decision, feeling the claim had been used out of context, and could potentially put buildings and peoples’ lives at risk. Eurobond is further pleased that the BRE has taken the initiative to clarify the facts regarding the use and application of the LPS 1181 standards.

The BRE said: “Incorrect and misleading reports on the purpose and application of the LPS 1181 series of standards for the fire performance of construction product systems are causing confusion in the market.” The website continues: “The requirements of the Building Regulations are not addressed by the LPS 1181 series of standards, the standards are used by the insurance industry for property protection purposes. It is the responsibility of end users to satisfy themselves that any performance claims made by the manufacturers are valid by reference to a relevant certificate listing and/or test reports and the product satisfies all the necessary regulatory and design requirements.”

Richard Wigley, Marketing Manager, Eurobond, said: “We are pleased that the BRE, as a leading construction consultancy, have taken the move to clarify on its website the facts behind LPS 1181 and the full list of products approved to the LPS 1181 series of standards. Inaccurate information could potentially put lives at risk; the accurate identification of combustible and non-combustible materials is essential for fire risk assessment and the appropriate specification of non-combustible materials such as mineral wool is the most appropriate option to protect against fire.”

Eurobond offers a comprehensive range of non-combustible, architecturally flat wall panel and ceiling products together with a complimentary range of doors. All its panel systems provide ‘built in’ passive fire protection and are tested and approved to LPCB LPS 1181, 1208 and Factory Mutual FM4880 insurance based tests. At their core, is a non combustible mineral wool insulant which guarantees the highest level of fire performance.