Kingspan Insulation has just been awarded CodeMark certification for its Kooltherm K10 FM Soffit Board.

This award makes Kooltherm K10 FM the first soffit insulation board in Australia to achieve this level of product conformance certification.

Kooltherm K10 FM Soffit Board was awarded the certification for its quality of manufacture, stringent testing, ease in installation and its advanced fireproof properties.

But while Technical Manager Keith Anderson is extremely pleased with this achievement, he stresses the need for the introduction of dramatically improved fire safety standards across Australia’s and New Zealand’s entire construction sector.
"Achieving CodeMark certification for Kooltherm K10 FM soffit insulation is fantastic, because it’s considered the building industry’s highest level of product certification,” says Anderson.

"CodeMark assures the designer, builder and client that the product and it’s promoted applications satisfy the requirements of the BCA, not just specific standards.

"In other words, it is "fit for purpose”, including meeting the stated fire safety standards. It is vital that this important issue of personal and property safety is not over looked, and that the BCA and fire standards are continuously updated accordingly.”

Anderson said he was pleased to see the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) reviewing fire testing and standards:

"The current proposed amendment to the AS/NZS 3837-1998 test method for building lining materials is welcomed and will increase safety standards for building lining materials, including soffit insulation boards, and will close a loophole for inappropriate materials.”

According to Anderson, lenient Australian regulations still allow unsafe building materials to be used in exposed concrete soffits and other building components.

"This ongoing problem clearly demonstrates that the building regulations need to be continually updated in line with the introduction of new and improved materials and products ," he said.

Anderson points out that many thermoplastic building materials, including rigid insulation products such as polystyrene boards, are still regularly used on Australian construction sites.

"Thermoplastic insulation materials which burn, drip, and melt when heated are currently allowed to be used in Australian concrete soffits – despite having been banned for this very same purpose in Europe for many years now, and for good reason. Dripping and melting materials can pose a significant safety concern in both evacuation and fire-fighting situations,” warns Anderson, "but the amendment to AS/NZS 3837-1998 will help ensure that products used in future will be fit for purpose”.

Fire safety industry expert Ian Bennetts says: "The use of fire resistant materials in buildings and within voids will reduce the likelihood of a serious fire within these spaces and is therefore to be encouraged".

David Wheeldon

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