Buildings: Insulation

(asked on 26th February 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Minister for Housing's oral evidence to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee on 28 January 2019 on the independent review of building regulations and to the Buildings Research Establishment's interim report entitled Fire performance of cladding materials research – experimental methodology and performance criteria, what measurements within the testing methodology his Department will use to assess whether particular types of cladding should be removed from buildings.


Answered by
Kit Malthouse Portrait
Kit Malthouse
This question was answered on 4th March 2019

At this stage the study is aimed at developing a better understanding of the behaviour of a range of cladding products when exposed to fire and their possible contribution to fire spread.

The performance criteria and how they will be measured are highlighted in table 2 of the methodology. A copy of the methodology is available in the House library.

The findings of the research will help determine, in consultation with the Independent Expert Panel, any further action we should take. This could include further testing at large scale and/or advice to building owners.

My department published an advice note on external wall systems that do not incorporate Aluminium Composite Material in December 2017 and updated it in December 2018. This advice makes clear to building owners that wall systems on existing buildings may only use materials that are of limited combustibility unless the system has achieved the appropriate BR135 classification via a BS 8414 test. It reiterates that the clearest way to ensure safety is to remove any unsafe materials.

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