Fire safety is a priority in construction and material specification, especially for high-rise and commercial/industrial buildings. Choosing non-combustible building materials, especially for façade cladding, helps ensure the building itself will not contribute to the spread of a fire. The world’s highest fire safety rating for non-combustible materials is the A1 rating under the European EN 13501-1 standard.
Key Insights
Euroclass A1 is the highest European fire safety classification and the European benchmark for fire safety, based on the world’s strictest fire test.
An A1 rating confirms that a building material is non-combustible. It will not ignite, fuel fire spread, release toxic gases, or produce significant amounts of smoke.
ALPOLIC™ NC/A1 is currently the only aluminium cladding product on the Australian market to achieve a Euroclass A1 rating. It offers a reliable cladding solution for high-rise residential buildings, commercial and industrial properties, public assembly spaces, and critical infrastructure, including schools, universities, and hospitals.
What is Euroclass A1?
The Euroclass A1 is the highest European fire safety classification and the European benchmark for fire safety. Using A1-rated materials delivers enhanced fire safety and long-term durability, maintains regulatory compliance, promotes public trust, and may reduce insurance premiums.
Achieving the A1 fire rating denotes that a building material is non-combustible. It is given based on rigorous testing; key features of A1-rated building materials include:
- Does not ignite
- No flame spread or contribution to fire
- Does not release burning droplets or particles
- Produces little or no smoke on exposure to fire
The Science of How an A1 Fire Rating Is Assessed
Cladding materials, for example, are tested and assessed under the terms of the European EN 13501-1 standard for their behaviour under fire exposure. It incorporates the ISO 1182 Non-Combustibility Test, ISO 1716 Calorific Value Test, and EN 13823 Single Burning Item Test. Assessment includes:
- Reaction of the material to direct flames
- How much heat is released by the material during combustion
- The amount and density of smoke generated by the material
- Any emission of burning droplets or particles
A1-rated materials:
- Do not ignite at high temperatures
- Emit no or negligible toxic gases when exposed to fire
- Only minimally conduct heat (or not at all)
These include stone, brick, concrete, steel, copper, fire-resistant glass, ceramic tiles, and some forms of aluminium – including ALPOLIC™ NC/A1 DtS non-combustible aluminium composite cladding panels.
What Makes ALPOLIC™ NC/A1 a Top A1-Rated Façade Cladding Choice?
ALPOLIC™ NC/A1 is a DtS non-combustible aluminium cladding product that is exclusively available in Australia at Network Architectural. Engineered solely for the Australian market and manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Infratec Co. Ltd, it is currently the only aluminium composite material product to pass Euroclass A1 and, based on large-scale fire tests, has been scientifically proven to be the world’s safest aluminium façade cladding product (Network Architectural).
This product is ideal for application to commercial, industrial, and public buildings, and residential buildings of 4 storeys or above. It is:
- Versatile across a diverse range of design applications (corporate, hospitality, entertainment, utilities, education, and much more) for customised aesthetic outcomes.
- Sustainable and recyclable, with an Environmental Product Declaration produced by Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA).
- Durable and backed by a manufacturer’s 20-year full replacement warranty (covering material, labour, and rectification costs). The warranty has no cleaning clause.
- Vast options with a wide range of textures and finishes in solid colours, metallic colours, sparkling colours, prismatic finishes, and timber-look panels.
Cost-efficiency – not only is ALPOLIC™ NC/A1 a durable, high-performing product requiring little to no maintenance and no ongoing cleaning, but its inclusion on buildings can significantly improve thermal efficiency (reducing costs for interior heating and cooling). It may also reduce insurance premiums – especially when installed as part of a recladding/remediation project.
Conclusion
It is wise to choose façade cladding materials that achieve A1 classification to optimise fire safety for public and high-rise buildings. While there are several DtS non-combustible cladding products available on the Australian market, ALPOLIC™ NC/A1 is among the very best of these and is the only one successfully tested to Euroclass A1. It’s worth exploring your options and discovering how your property and its occupants can benefit from ALPOLIC™ NC/A1 cladding in terms of future-proofing, safety, durability, sophisticated style, cost-efficiency, sustainability, public trust, and long-term value. Click here