Filon Successful Campaign Confims GRP Rooflights Classifications
SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN CONFIRMS GRP ROOFLIGHTS FOR USE UNDER NEW FIRE CLASSIFICATIONS FOR ENGLAND.
Following a collective industry campaign, there has been a successful resolution for the potential barrier to the specification of Glass Reinforced Polyester (GRP) rooflights on metal or fibre cement clad industrial buildings, resulting from the withdrawal of the BS476 series of national fire classifications.
With support from the wider industrial roofing sector and a great number of trade associations that Filon is involved with, we have been able to put our case to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Governments (MHCLG), all the appropriate government bodies resulting in a successful outcome to the potential barrier that was presented, unintentionally creating a serious risk for the GRP rooflight industry and the industrial building sector.
Following the withdrawal of the BS 476 series of fire tests from Approved Document B (ADB) England for compliance with Building Regulations, an alternative compliance route for GRP thermoset materials is now outlined in the Government’s Frequently Asked Questions. Specifically, FAQ number 8 clarifies that the TP(a) rigid classification can be used for thermoset rooflights in industrial and storage buildings to demonstrate compliance with the functional requirement B2(1) in accordance with Approved Document B, Volume 2, Table 6.2. All of Filon’s rooflight weights in fire grade types 104 (class 1) & 101 (class 0) have TP(a) rigid classification.
Please note that the withdrawal of the BS 476 series of fire tests only applies to the England Building Regulations. Other nations, including Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, still reference the BS 476 classifications in their fire safety documents.
In light of this update, we have developed a revised fire rating guide for England, which will assist in ensuring continued compliance with the relevant regulations, which can be found here Technical Information Sheet TIS003 Fire – Roof Application England. Fire guides for the other nations will be available soon.
Additionally, we would like to inform you of an update to the 2023 amendment of Part L2, which now requires rooflights to be assessed in the horizontal plane, with a revised maximum U-value of 2.2W/m²K for both new and existing buildings. Filon has updated the thermal modelling for our rooflight range, and an update statement explaining these changes can be requested from our team.
Should you have any questions or require further clarification, feel free to reach out to the team by contacting us on (01543) 687300.