Architects and specifiers can now benefit from Knauf Insulation Glasswool Insulation, which has achieved third-party certification for use in passive fire-protection applications.
Having passed rigorous testing procedures, Knauf Insulation gained certification of their Knauf Insulation Glasswool Insulation product range in May 2022 against the Certifire scheme. The mark of approval was awarded after the product met the requirements set out in Certifire’s Australian Technical Schedule’s – ATS00 (Scheme rules) and ATS11 (Combustibility), as well as meeting the performance requirements of AS 1530.1:1994 (R2016) – which determines combustibility of building materials.
Guy Manthel, Technical Product Manager at Knauf explained: ‘The vast majority of our products are non-combustible and achieve the highest possible fire classification. Such qualities are sought by architects and specifiers when developing fire safety strategies for the development of new buildings. Therefore, it’s extremely important for us to prove the quality of our products.
‘All components that make up a building’s design must play a critical role in limiting the spread of fire, while maintaining structural integrity and providing safe buildings for occupants,’ he continued. ‘Using non-combustible insulation minimises the risk that the building fabric will contribute to the development or spread of a fire. Not only does having third-party certification endorse our claims of performance but it also establishes confidence over other insulation and provides peace of mind to all parties.’
At present, manufacturers providing products to the Australian market perform fire testing to the relevant Australian or international standard. However, third-party certification is not currently a legal requirement.
Chad McLean, Certification Manager at Warringtonfire Australia outlined why wider adoption of certification is critical: ‘The current testing landscape means manufacturers can produce and sell products based on the performance of a single test. Even if there’s no intentional change to the manufacturing process, over time, changes to equipment, staff, experience and the source of the raw materials will undoubtedly have an impact on the overall quality of the product. So how can an end user be confident that the quality of the product is maintained? This is where product certification comes to the fore, enhancing reputation and proving quality, performance and reliability.
‘Certification is the process of determining that a product has passed relevant fire and quality assurance tests. This is based on Australian standards, along with additional criteria defined in the certification scheme,’ Mr McLean continued. ‘An important part of the Certifire scheme is our ongoing factory auditing requirements. These ensure that a mass-produced product maintains the same quality as its original tested product.’
The Knauf Insulation Glasswool Insulation was certified on 18 May 2022 through the Warringtonfire Certifire scheme. To maintain certification, ongoing annual surveillance audits, as well as recertification every five years, are required. To find out more about Warringtonfire Australia’s testing and certification services, please visit www.warringtonfire.com/locations/australia
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