Leading Australian insulation innovator, Kingspan Insulation has been awarded CodeMark certification for its Kooltherm K10 soffit insulation board.

Kooltherm K10 soffit board was awarded the certification for its quality of manufacture, stringent testing, ease of installation and advanced fireproof properties.

Technical Manager Keith Anderson explains that the CodeMark certification is considered the building industry’s highest level of product certification as it assures the designer, builder and client that the product and its promoted applications satisfy the requirements of the BCA including meeting the stated fire safety standards.

The CodeMark assessment guarantees the standard and quality of manufacture of the Kooltherm K10 soffit insulation boards, providing specifiers valuable assurance of compliance in every state and territory nationally.

Anderson says that the building industry can confidently specify and install Kooltherm K10 soffit board, knowing they have one of the most thermally efficient, fire resistant, quality soffit insulation products available in Australia. 

He also stresses the need for the introduction of dramatically improved fire safety standards across Australia and New Zealand in the construction sector.

Anderson welcomes the current proposed amendment to the AS/NZS 3837-1998 test method for building lining materials by the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB), which he believes will increase safety standards for materials such as soffit insulation boards.

According to Anderson, lenient Australian regulations still allow unsafe building insulation materials to be used in exposed concrete soffits and other building components, pointing out that many thermoplastic building materials, including rigid insulation products such as polystyrene boards are regularly used on Australian construction sites.

Thermoplastic insulation materials pose significant safety concerns in both evacuation and fire-fighting situations as they burn, drip and melt when heated. The proposed 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 that 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.