Mitsubishi ALPOLIC NC/A1, the flagship product from Network Architectural, sets the gold standard for non-combustible cladding in Australia. Four years in the making before its launch in early 2019, ALPOLIC NC/A1 is an outcome of a close partnership between Mitsubishi and Network Architectural, and has been designed specifically for Australia.
ALPOLIC NC/A1 mineral core barrier composite panels are manufactured by Mitsubishi and fully compliant with the relevant building codes and regulations in Australia, explains Llewellyn Regler, technical manager at Network Architectural.
“It has obtained A1 classification according to the European fire protection standard EN 13501-1, which is the highest rating in what is considered to be one of the most stringent component fire test standards in the world,” Regler adds. “To my knowledge, ours is the only aluminium composite panel in the world that actually meets that standard.”
This exceptional fire safety profile of the non-combustible product is matched by its outstanding sustainability credentials. Underscored by Mitsubishi’s very own sustainability philosophy – encapsulated by the notion of ‘Kaiteki’ – and verified through an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) produced by Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA), Mitsubishi ALPOLIC NC/A1 is manufactured in an environmentally conscious manner.
“ALPOLIC and its affiliated materials are 100% recyclable,” explains Hee Kok Koon, general manager ALPOLIC Division, Mitsubishi Chemical Singapore. “In our manufacturing plants, we recover both aluminium (other metals) and the core material for recycling, to keep an environment-friendly operation. Furthermore, our production plants of ALPOLIC are compliant with ISO14001, and also designated as a wide district industrial waste disposal facility. Therefore, we can take back scraps from customers for recycling in our facilities under the proper operating standard.”
Adding to its sustainability profile, the cladding product requires less energy to produce than solid aluminium, and saves more energy through its insulating properties. “Aluminium requires a substantial amount of energy to produce,” says Koon. “However, ALPOLIC is more rigid than solid aluminium, which means it serves the same function while utilising 300% less aluminium. As a result, it saves more than half the electricity required to produce the solid aluminium panel of equivalent rigidity.”
The environmental benefits continue after installation. “ALPOLIC reduces the building’s energy consumption due to its thermal insulation properties,” adds Koon. “When the product is used for external or internal cladding, the air space between ALPOLIC and the backing wall forms a thermal insulation layer and increases the wall system’s energy conservation performance.”
On top of that, ALPOLIC NC/A1 comes with a Mitsubishi-backed 20-year full cover warranty. Considered to be one of the most comprehensive in the building industry, the robust warranty means that in the event of a defect caused by the manufacturer, Mitsubishi will replace it at no cost to the building owner.
Being the gold standard in non-combustible cladding and the safest product of this kind in the world – and boasting such an outstanding sustainability profile, it’s no wonder Mitsubishi ALPOLIC NC/A1 continues to be the go-to solution for specifiers who seek the best in non-combustible cladding. And, after several months of rigorous testing, Mitsubishi ALPOLIC NC/A1 has now officially met all the testing requirements set out by the NSW State Government as a suitable and safe replacement product as part of the Project Remediate recladding scheme.
“The project will involve recladding all the type two residential buildings in New South Wales that have dangerous polyethylene cladding on them,” explains Regler. “It was an extensive testing process, and it’s an extensive project because around 225 buildings in New South Wales will have to be rectified as part of it.”
