The 2014 Lacrosse and 2017 Grenfell Tower fires prompted increased scrutiny from government and industry bodies on the use of highly flammable cladding in Australia. Independent inquests, building audits across the country and changes to building regulation followed, placing the onus on builders and construction professionals to ensure they use code-compliant building products that meet the fire safety requirements for external cladding.

'Navigating the building code through non-combustible cladding selection: Achieving compliance with fibre cement' explains the most efficient compliance pathway to meeting the fire performance requirements for external cladding set out in the Building Code of Australia (BCA). First, the whitepaper examines the factors that shape the current Australian fire safety conversation, before delivering a concise overview of the two options available to satisfy BCA Performance Requirements, specifically Deemed-to-Satisfy Solutions and Performance Solutions. The key considerations that must be addressed when specifying fire safe, code-compliant cladding are also covered. Finally, the whitepaper presents fibre cement, a well-established, code-compliant cladding solution that meets today’s stringent performance and safety demands without compromising on design.

The global market leader in the design and manufacture of high performance construction systems since 1888, James Hardie pioneered the development of cellulose-reinforced fibre cement in the early 1980s. Responding to the industry’s evolving needs and heightened demand for code compliance, James Hardie’s fibre cement products deliver first class fire safety performance, structural resistance and weatherproofing.  James Hardie fibre cement products are Good Environmental Choice Australia certified, and are meticulously designed and engineered to the highest level of performance.

Download this whitepaper to achieve compliance through smart specification of high performance, non-combustible fibre cement cladding products.