• PROPERTIES OF PUR/PIR
• What is PUR/PIR?
• Thermal performance
• Acoustic performance
• Strength characteristics
• Fire performance
• Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order
• Flood resilience
• Windstorm protection
•  

PUR/PIR insulation products meet a wide range of fire performance requirements as stipulated by the Building Regulations and the Insurance Industry.

In many construction applications products are not exposed to any fire risk or are protected by non-combustible materials e.g. cavity wall insulation, and combustibility is not an issue. In other applications where high fire performance is needed, suitable products can be specified.

Products are available which meet Class 0 of the UK Building Regulations and Class 1 surface spread of flame performance when tested to BS 476: Parts 6 and 7. In the new Euroclass system where products are classified from Class A (non-combustible) through to Class F (No Performance Determined), PUR/PIR insulation products are able to meet up to and including Class B. Good fire resistance in tests such as BS 476 Pt 21 and Pt 22 is also possible. Further, PUR/PIR insulation products are available which achieve approval with insurance industry standards such as Factory Mutual’s FM 4450 and FM 4880 and the LPC’s LPS 1181.

In the document “Technical Guidance: Fire Performance of Sandwich Panel Systems” prepared by the BRE for the ABI, it states:

“Sandwich panel systems approved by LPCB to LPS 1181 will not make a significant contribution to a fire ”

further the documents states:

“External claddings that are LPCB approved to LPS 1181 can be regarded as satisfying the original grade 2 construction rules or be classed as a non-combustible building. (Note: This grading does not imply that the material is non-combustible.).”

Click here to view complete ABI document (in Acrobat format):

Building Regulation requirements for fire performance of construction products are in a transitional state as the adoption of the harmonised Euroclass system progresses in the UK; British Standards will be replaced by European alternatives at the end of the transitional period. Similar changes will also be implemented in all EU member states to provide a single harmonised set of tests for all EU countries. As in the past, PUR/PIR products will meet the requirements of the Building Regulations for their intended end-use application during the transition period and into the future.

PUR/PIR insulation products are used across a wide range of applications providing exceptional benefits; however, individual products offer different levels of fire performance depending on their end-use application. It is important to ensure that the right product is used in the right end-use application. Recommendations and advice on specific products can be obtained by contacting the individual manufacturing members of BRUFMA.