Manufacturer
Xella Thermopierre : certification for a cellular concrete product
"For an insulation product to be credible in today's market, it must have certified thermal values, because if it doesn't, it runs the risk of being penalized with a significant add-on factor. That fact alone means that having ACERMI certification is nonnegotiable," explains Christian Guegan, Technical Director at Xella Thermopierre.
This company offers a lightweight mineral-based cellular concrete insulation product called Multipor 045-H, which is manufactured by Ytong, can be used internally as a facing material on the underside of floors thanks to its highly efficient fire resistance (6 cm provides 6 hours' fire protection), or as an external thermal insulation padding in conjunction with (ATec) Fermacell H2O panels. Multipor is available in panel thicknesses of 60 to 300 mm, and in France is marketed with the ACERMI label in all thicknesses up to 200 mm.
"As products intended for use in external thermal insulation," continues Christian Guégan, "Insulation systems that use Multipor are the subject of an ETA (European Technical Approval, which has replaced the EA), usually in conjunction with a DTA (Technical Application Document) to facilitate their use in France. And here again, gaining those approvals requires the claimed thermal values to be certified. The manufacturer has followed the 'Zullasung' procedure in Germany, which is similar to the Technical Assessment scheme here, and complemented that at European level with an ETA for the external thermal insulation system. In the French market, the ATec and ACERMI certifications are more sought-after and seen as offering greater security to the point where they are really indispensable."
Xella Thermopierre product
| Product | Multipor 045-F |
|---|---|
| Thermal Conductivity | ʎ = 0,045 W.m-1.K-1 |
| Composition | Lightweight cellular concrete-based |
| ACERMI certification | 14/191/999 |
ACERMI and DTA/ATec certification are therefore linked,and the documentation for Multipor was completed at the end of 2014. "In convincing the manufacturer to adapt its system to this requirement specific to France, the simplification offered by the springboard standard was a real advantage," continues Christian Guégan. "The Stülln production plant near Munich, which produces around 80,000 m³ of Multipor, is currently covered by the certification, and that certification will soon be extended to include its sister plant at Porz near Cologne."
The manufacturer has benefited from the certification process to carry out an assessment of the fire resistance properties of its own products. One unexpected consequence of ACERMI certification has been the satisfaction expressed by managers responsible for the Italian market: "Who told me that it was expected in their country, which does not have an equivalent certification scheme, and where it is considered as a sign of quality and safety," concludes Christian Guégan.
