Product accreditation
In order for construction products to be
placed on the European market they need to comply with the
requirements of the Construction Products Directive (CPD). The
basic principle of the CPD is to ensure that products are fit for
their intended use and can be freely traded across the European
Economic Area thus establishing a single agreed standard of
performance and system of certification. It applies both to
products manufactured within and from outside of the European
Community.
The CPD was implemented in the United Kingdom
in 1991 and subsequently amended with the “CE Marking Directive”,
which came into force on 1st January 1995. These Regulations
require products to be legally placed on the UK market and gives
the conditions for products to bear the CE marking. The CPD
replaces existing national standards and technical approvals with a
single set of European-wide technical specifications. Any standard
prefixed ‘BS EN’ is a European Standard and it is the harmonised
parts of these standards which manufacturers must meet for the
purpose of CE marking.
Under the CPD, a product bearing a CE mark
will automatically be presumed to meet the requirements of the
relevant technical specifications. It is, therefore, a visible
declaration that the product complies with the CPD. A typical CE
mark on an insulation product details the products dimensions,
thermal performance and its reaction to fire classification. In
order to display the CE mark, a product has to undergo a rigorous
ten stage process.
When selecting suitable insulation products
and construction systems, the building designer needs to be aware
of the relevant statutory documents, associated reference documents
and substantive certification relative to their specific project
and choice of materials or systems that they wish to
incorporate.
Building designers face a multitude of
choices, both in the form of construction to be adopted for the
building element and the materials that will comprise that element.
In order for a new product or a proprietary system to establish its
credibility and fitness for use it should be tested, accredited or
assessed by an independent third party who would test in accordance
with recognised British, European or industry standards and test
methods.
The introduction of new products or systems to
the marketplace can be greatly simplified by obtaining independent
third party certification from a United Kingdom Accredited Service
approved testing body such as the British Board of Agrèment (BBA),
BRELPC, BSI or the University of Salford. Acquiring third party
certification also eases the process of acceptance by the relevant
industry, by building control and by proving regulatory compliance.
The British Standards Institute (BSI) Kitemark scheme is probably
the best known symbol of product trust, integrity and quality, both
customers and specifiers alike can be reassured that manufacturers
having this associated with their product have satisfied the most
rigorous of quality processes.
From a manufacturer’s perspective it is
important that the characteristics of their products are measured
and clearly and accurately displayed if they are to be correctly
identified and included in specifications. A BBA Certificate is
only awarded to a product after it has successfully passed a
comprehensive assessment which includes laboratory testing, on-site
evaluations and production inspections. The latter is important in
order to check that the manufacturer has a factory production
control system in operation that will ensure the specification of
the product will be consistently maintained. The main focus of the
Agrément process is the evaluation of the extent to which the
product allows compliance with relevant Building Regulations and
other statutory requirements to be achieved. In the main, BBA
Certification is most beneficial when new and/or innovative
products or systems are being introduced to the market place or an
existing product is being used in an application other than that
for which it was originally certificated.
System accreditation
There are many instances where products can be
shown to meet statutory requirements due to the fact that they are
installed in well established construction systems with proven low
technical risk, enabling designers to specify a product based
purely on its performance characteristics. In these instances the
product/systems performance, fitness for use and compliance with
statutory requirements has been established over a long period of
successful installation. The installation of low density glass
mineral wool products between timber joists, at ceiling level, in
pitched roof constructions, is a good example of this type of
system solution.
There are many ways in which a construction
system can be proven to comply with the relevant part of the UK
Building Regulations. The system would typically be tested in
accordance with a British or European Standard, or even assessed
against an existing system that is proven to meet the requirements.
The performance of an element of a building will be partly
dependent on two things: the materials or products that make up
that element and the standard of workmanship used to install or
construct the element.
In order to confirm that a construction
system/solution is adequate for the purpose for which it is
intended (and thus complies with the requirements of the Building
Regulations) it is beneficial to acquire third party accredited
product conformity or system certification.
This type of accreditation provides a credible
means of identifying materials, design and performance of systems
and products or structures which have demonstrated that they meet
or have the potential to meet the required performance standard if
they are correctly installed.
Since the performance of a product, component
or structure is dependent upon satisfactory site installation:
independent schemes of certification and accreditation of
installers provide confidence in the appropriate standard of
workmanship being provided. For instance, our injected Supafil
Cavity Wall insulation can only be installed by persons who are
approved by Knauf Insulation and the British Board of Agrèment,
these installers are also subject to supervision by Knauf
Insulation including unannounced spot checks.
Third party accreditation of installers of
systems, materials, products or structures provides a means of
ensuring that installations have been conducted by knowledgeable
contractors to appropriate standards, thereby increasing confidence
that the specified performance has been achieved.
There are many instances where the building
designer requires substantive proof that their proposed forms of
construction meet a statutory requirement. For instance, the
acoustic performance of a separating wall or floor needs to comply
with the performance requirements of Approved Document E or be
designed and installed as a Robust Detail, whilst the integrity of
insulated structural steelwork has to comply with the requirements
of Approved Document B, which in turn makes reference to specific
British Standards.
One other example is for a product
manufacturer to acquire third party certification in support of a
product or combinations of products which form part of a
proprietary system which can then be shown to meet the performance
requirements of the Building Regulations.
For instance, our Rocksilk FireTech Slab has
been independently tested by an accredited third party to determine
the fire resistance of loadbearing structural steel beams or
columns when they are insulated in with this specific product and
its ancillary components. This third party accreditation can then
be presented to building designers, specifiers and local authority
building control officers to substantiate proof of performance of
this proprietary system.
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 A
British Board of Agrèment Certificate
is proof that a product or system has been tested by a registered
third party laboratory which tests in accordance with United
Kingdom Accreditation Service requirements which includes site
inspections and factory production control.
The Certificate focuses on application testing
and evaluation of the fitness for use of the product and provides
guidance on design of works and the appropriate installation of
products. The product’s performance is regularly monitored and the
BBA Certificate gives the user or installer of the product
confidence that the product is fit for its intended purpose and
provides the specifier with a guarantee that his product
specification is robust and fit for purpose.
BBA Certificates are generally obtained to
support new products introduced to the marketplace and they also
ease the process of acceptance by the relevant industry, by proving
regulatory compliance.
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 The
Kitemark is specific to the United
Kingdom, and is a British Standards Institute run independent
certification scheme to demonstrate a level of quality conformance
above and beyond the minimum legal requirements of the Construction
Products Directive. The Kitemark is a quality mark for both product
and manufacturer, and is probably the most well known and respected
quality mark in the world. Achieving Kitemark status improves
confidence in both the product and the manufacturer. |
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 The CE Mark is a declaration by a manufacturer that a
product fulfils the essential requirements of the Construction
Products Directive (89/106/EEC). In gaining the CE mark a certain
amount of third party product testing is required and the CE
marking requirements for the factory production control system are
met with a quality management system complying with BS EN ISO 9000.
The Construction Products Directive applies to factory made thermal
insulation products for buildings and compliance with the
Construction Products Directive (89/106/EEC) is a legal
requirement. CE marking is a visible sign of meeting that legal
obligation (in most European States CE marking is itself
mandatory). Product standards and test methods are common
throughout Europe, so one test covers all countries which enables
consumers to differentiate between products and allows direct
comparison of product performance.
By displaying the CE mark on products consumers can be
assured that all relevant European product standards are being
met. |
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 Registered
Firm status is an independent evaluation of a quality
management system for compliance with a specific standard. They are
process standards not product standards and the accreditation is a
British Standards Institute classification. Registered Firm status
guarantees that a company uses a quality management system that
complies with the standard and also confirms that products and
services are adequately managed, controlled and assured. Registered
Firm status is an assurance that a supplier can provide quality
products and services.
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