INSULATION
SOUNDING OFF ON FIRE ISSUES Fire and sound performance are fast becoming the main issues in the insulation
sector as Elizabeth Jordan finds out. I
nsulation is, now more than ever, about more than just thermal performance. As the environments in which we live, work, play, learn and recuperate are changing rapidly so are the demands on insulation to perform beyond just that of thermal requirements. In the wake of last year’s Grenfell Tower fire,there are many consultations currently out which may indicate that change to current Building Regulations relating to fire safety may be likely.
“There is a consultation on banning the use of combustible materials in the external walls of high-rise residential buildings, a consultation that closes on the 14th August as well as others including clarifying the language in ‘AD B’. But at this time, nothing has changed,” says Warren Dudding marketing director at ROCKWOOL Insulation.
Dudding says that ROCKWOOL believes that the best way to ensure public safety in high-rise and high-risk buildings is to require that only non-combustible cladding and insulation be installed; that they be fitted with automatic fire sprinklers; and that all new buildings of these types have alternative escape routes. “These are straightforward, common-sense steps that can be promptly implemented and that would have a profoundly positive impact on public safety. “Insulation can be seen as technically complex, and our support is available to help merchants to better understand product distinctions, benefits and application benefits. For example, in terms of an insulation material, it is key to understand what is combustible and what is non-combustible, it’s not as daunting as many think, it’s a simple matter of understanding the Euroclass system applicable under CE Marketing rules” Dudding says.
“To be classified to the Euroclass system, products must undergo testing for a range of factors, including: ignitability, flame spread, heat release, smoke production and propensity for producing flaming droplets/ particles. “The Euroclass system is accepted by all European Union States (and is mandatory where there is a Harmonised Product Standard) and includes seven classification levels, from A1 to F, plus one rating (NPD), that sits alongside but outside these ratings.”
Understanding these Euroclass classifications, Dudding stresses, is vitally important for both merchants and their customers. “The Euroclass system states that products achieving A1 classificiation are defined as non-combustible under these regulations. Products achieving an
A2 classification are recognised as products of limited combustibility, offering ‘no significant contribution to fire growth’. Products achieving a rating of B-F are deemed to be combustible.” “Other terms typically used by the industry to describe product performance such as fire safe, fire proof, fire retardant or flame proof, do not necessarily define that the product is non-combustible. ‘Non-combustible’ is a legally defined term within the Building Regulations.”
Sound and vision
It’s not just combustibility issues that are coming to the fore, Dudding says. “Noise transfer is fast becoming a major issue in today’s urban environment, affecting not only small builders and developers working on home refurbs, extensions, school flat roofs and new builds but also those in the commercial and leisure markets too, such as hotels and mixed use developments.”
Growing urbanisation means that noise from road and air traffic, railway networks and general street life is intruding into homes. “In recent times, the increasing popularity of media rooms and higher quality sound and home cinema systems, complete with deeper bass sub-woofers, are major contributing factors, add to this the deepening trend towards home working and the need for a quiet home office, the demand for sound insulation is growing.” Dudding continues: “The Government’s own National Noise Attitude Survey, although a little old now, showed that between 2000 and 2012, noise increased from being the ninth environmental priority to the fourth, with 48% of people feeling that their home life was spoilt by noise.”
Noise becomes particularly problematic when it disturbs important activities, such as sleep. World Health Organisation guidelines recommend less than 30 decibels of noise in bedrooms and less than 40 decibels outside bedrooms for good quality sleep. Those exposed to night noise levels above 40 decibels on average suffer sleep disturbance and awakenings, whilst exposure above 55 decibels may have a link to elevated blood pressure and heart disease.
A new Policy Exchange report, ‘Building More, Building Beautiful’, has highlighted the demand for quietness in our homes. Sound resistant walls came top in a poll of what people look for in new homes, with over 60% saying they help to create warm feelings associated with home. “In our own report, ‘Good Growth, Quiet Buildings’, we highlighted why noise mitigation
August 2018
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net
should be incorporated into the design process of any development to support good health and well-being. Factoring in noise from the outset of a project can be the most cost effective route to ensuring a high standard of acoustic performance and can be as simple as selecting an insulation material that delivers both thermal needs and sound absorption.”
“Thanks to its properties, ROCKWOOL Sound Insulation when fitted inside cavity walls or between floors actually absorbs sound energy as it travels towards the occupant. “It effectively traps sound waves and dampens vibration to provide an enhanced noise reducing solution for internal and separating walls as well as floors in applications including home offices, studies, bedrooms, bathrooms and TV, media and games rooms.”
ROCKWOOL provides a variety of help and training for merchants, even supporting with identifying the right stocking profile, providing launch support, staff and customer training and education, including some very visual and experimental demonstrations. Dudding says, “The new #TheSoundExperience ROCKWOOL Demo Truck is visiting merchant branches across the country to prive a better understanding of the strength of stone wool’s acoustic properties. The ROCKWOOL signature sound tunnel allows customers to hear the difference in sound quality inside and out.,” Dudding concludes. BMJ
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