Façades and linings are often subject to immense scrutiny for fire performance and safety engineering. This scrutiny has compounded over the years with cheap, poorly made imported products often being specified. It has become essential to ensure specified materials, systems and building elements meet (and exceed) the specified Building Code of Australia (BCA) regulations for Fire Resistant Levels (FRLs).
The innate materials of Fibre Cement - it is a composite material made up of sand, cement and cellulose fibre - make it non-combustible and fire resistant. FRL performance is improved across structural adequacy, integrity and insulation to provide passive suppression and alleviate the spread of fire. This passive suppression is of particular importance when considering cladding and façades systems such as Innova™, in addition to boundary wall systems in bushfire prone areas.
The Innova™ range of products includes Innova™ Duracom™, Innova™ Durascape™ and Innova™ Stratum™ weatherboards. They can be used in different applications - multi-residential, residential and commercial. With a FRL 60/60/60 and up to BAL 40, they are suited to both bushfire and boundary wall applications in residential and multi- residential buildings. Innova™ supplied Duracom™ for The National Anzac Centre, assisting the architect and builder to achieve a BAL40 rating by providing test drawings, samples and photos of the sub-frame system adopted for the project.
Innova™ being a naturally resistant fire material, offers robust performance to a variety of cladding solutions. Innova™ facades are manufactured using a non-combustible Fibre Cement that exhibits superior performance testing in the 4 key indices of fire resistance testing:
- Ignition index – Fibre Cement does not ignite
- Spread of flame index – There is no spread of flame with Fibre Cement
- Heat Evolved Index – Heat does not evolve from Fibre Cement
- Smoke developed index – Smoke is not emitted from Fibre Cement
It is important to not only consider the FRL performance for your façades and cladding solution but also question if you are using materials tested by a credible testing agency (such as CSIRO) and that have passed the Early Fire Hazard Property criteria in compliance with AS/NZS 1530.3 and AS/NZS3837.
Innova™ products are manufactured and tested in Australia and meet the requirements for exterior lining systems under NCC 2016, Building Code of Australia. They offer several health benefits for the public. Adhering to the requirements of the BCA means safer, modern, and comfortable homes are being provided while safeguarding people from injury due to a fire in the building, as well as allowing people more time to evacuate during a fire and avoiding the spread of fire between buildings.
For more information on Innova™ facades, linings and flooring go to www.bgcinnovadesign.com.au
If you would like any more information or advice regarding any building plans or specification projects, please call our technical team on 1300 652 242
