ACM Cladding Meets New UK Fire Safety Regulations

Cladding is an essential component of every building’s exterior and, as such, it needs to be selected with fire safety in mind. To achieve this, building owners and architects must choose a product that not only meets, but exceeds the requirements set by updated UK fire safety standards.

The new regulations state that any cladding material used on buildings over 18m must have a reaction to fire rating of A1 or A2. This will not only ensure that the cladding itself does not ignite when exposed to extreme heat, but that it cannot contribute fuel to a fire and will not spread flames across the structure. Fortunately, the market has already responded with the introduction of high-performance A1 cladding.

A1 is a unique aluminium composite material that is non-combustible and has no smoke development in case of fire. It is the first ACM with a Euroclass A1 fire safety rating and thus meets the highest standard in this area. It is easy to process, has a high degree of flatness and is available in a wide range of colours and textures. Furthermore, the front side is coated with the high-quality fluoropolymer resin Lumiflon which makes it highly resistant to weathering and UV radiation, corrosion and colour fading.

As a result, A1 is ideal for use as facade cladding and offers architects unprecedented freedom of design. It also has superior fire performance compared with other composite products based on traditional synthetic resins. In fact, it scores B-s1, d0 in accordance with the European standard EN 13501-1 (report Efectis of 2006). Its fire resistance increases even more when reinforced with 35% sand to reach the A2-s1, d0 class – comparable to brick and concrete.

In the light of the Grenfell Tower disaster, the community is demanding greater fire safety protection for their homes. As a result, the UK government has announced a PS400 million fund to help local authorities and housing associations to remove and replace ACM cladding from their high-rise social housing buildings. The money will be used to pay for the installation of new, safer cladding materials that comply with Euroclass A1 or A2.

With these changes, it is more important than ever for architects and builders to select their cladding and insulation materials carefully. It is essential that they choose products that meet the latest fire safety standards and are backed by reliable testing data. For this reason, we are proud to offer our customers Tata Steel’s Colorcoat Urban standing seam facade system that is A1 rated and designed with fire safety in mind. The system consists of stainless steel standing seams and profiled metal sheets with mineral wool insulation and is suitable for residential use. In addition to A1 cladding, we also supply a range of fire rated metal and mesh options from James Hardie that are compatible with the latest building regulations. To discuss the best option for your project, get in touch with our team today.