Selecting the right material for multi-storey and multi-use buildings is a delicate balance between several aspects, such as cost, aesthetics, efficiency, and time constraints. However, one facet that can never be ignored is fire safety. In the wake of the Docklands fire in 2014, and more recently, the Grenfell tower tragedy, the current fire safety standards surrounding external aluminium cladding are under intense review.
A new whitepaper has been released by Urbanline Architectural, leaders in the cladding, decking, screening, and paneling market. Fire compliant cladding in Australia discusses the consequences of non-compliant cladding on multi-storey and multi-use buildings.
The whitepaper compares PE cladding types against their own solid aluminium cladding, highlighting the susceptibility of PE cladding types to assisting in the rapid spread of fire due to the high quantities of polyethylene present.
The paper goes on to outline that according to the proposed new standards, all external cladding sold in Australia must be AS5113 and National Construction Code compliant by March 2018. Several of Urbanline’s products already meet these requirements, meaning that Urbanline is ahead of the curve in terms of external cladding fire safety requirements in Australia.
For more information on the changing standards for external aluminium cladding and how Urbanline’s products are keeping abreast of these changes, download Fire compliant cladding in Australia.
