Practice MMC – Masterwall and Masterfloor  have successfully achieved a Building Commission Accreditation for the Masterwall Polystyrene Cladding System after all CSIRO appraisals for external insulation finishing systems expired late last year.

On 31st December 2009, as advised by the Building Commission, all CSIRO appraisals for external insulation finishing systems – polystyrene cladding systems expired, meaning building surveyors need alternative documentation to ensure that polystyrene systems being specified comply with the BuildingCode of Australia (BCA) performance requirements for alternative solutions.
 
Polystyrene cladding systems are not referenced as a Deemed-to-Satisfy (DtS) solution in the BCA, and therefore must be presented as an alternative solution in a form that a building surveyor can assess and be satisfied that the material, form of construction, or design meets the performance requirements of the BCA. 

The accreditation process involved with the Building Commission Accreditation for the Masterwall Polystyrene Cladding System is more comprehensive than a CSIRO appraisal and the process gives additional certainty and confidence to all RBPs, from concept to completion.

As the Building Commission has previously stated, building surveyors who continue to issue permits on projects with non-compliant polystyrene cladding systems could become the subject of an investigation and resultant sanctions by the Building Practitioners Board.

All specifiers of polystyrene cladding systems must also ensure that systems comply with the building code. Permits should not be issued on plans where materials specified do not comply, therefore, the polystyrene cladding system specified on plans must refer to the manufacturer and either a Building Commission Certification Number, Branz Appraisal Number or Code Mark. These are the only EIF systems that comply. 

Practice MMC - Masterwall and Masterfloor offers an industry leading technical service to all architects, specifiers and surveyors to answer all queries about external insulation finishing systems and the recent changes.