EN 13501 - European fire classification of construction products

What is fire classification of construction products?

Fire classification of construction products involves test and classification of construction products in a harmonised European system. This system is adopted by all EU Member States. Substantially the fire classification is divided into two areas, the reaction to fire and the resistance to fire.

How does the reaction to fire classification work for different product groups in the Euroclass system?

The Euroclass system for construction products mainly concerns wall linings, insulation materials, floor coverings, pipe insulation and cables. These product groups are treated similarly. 

The reaction to fire classification of wall linings, floor coverings and pipe insulation

The chosen class limits for wall linings, pipe insulation and cables are almost entirely based on Swedish work and contributions to the harmonisation. Wall linings are classified using an index called FIGRA, developed at RISE. More about FIGRA and the technical background of the Euroclass system can be found in "The Development of a European Fire Classification System for Building Products, Test Methods and Mathematical Modelling".

The reaction to fire classification is divided into seven main classes

There are seven main classes defined in EN 13501. For wall linings, floor coverings and pipe insulation, they are called A1, A2, B, C, D, E and F. For cables they are called A1, B1, B2, C, D, E and F.

Common class designations for wall linings, flooring, pipe insulation and cables

Examples of common class designations, including smoke and burning drops, for wall linings, floor coverings, pipe insulation and cables are as follows:

A1 (non-combustible material)
A2-s1,d0
B-s1,d0
C-s2,d0
D-s2,d0
A1_fl (non-combustible material for floor covering)
C_fl-s1
D_fl-s1
B_L-s1,d0 (pipe insulation)
B1CA-s1,d0,a1 (cables)

The criteria for the Euroclasses can be found in the classification standards: EN 13501-1 for wall linings, pipe insulation and floor coverings, and EN 13501-6 for cables.

Fire classification of roof coverings

External fire behaviour of roofs is part of the Euroclass system. There are four different test methods for fire classification, which gives a total of thirteen different classes. 

• In Sweden and the Nordic countries, the classes B_ROOF(t2) and F_ROOF (t2) are used.
• A roof with the class B_ROOF(t2) class has met the EN 13501-5 requirements together with a specific substrate.
• A roof classified F_ROOF(t2) has either not been tested or did not pass the fire behaviour requirements.

The criteria for the Euroclasses can be found in the classification standard, EN 13501-5. 

The fire resistance classification of construction products

When testing the fire resistance of a product or a construction, the properties are determined when exposed to a certain temperature effect, normally corresponding to a room fire. Fire resistance is one or more properties of the assembled structure/product and thus not a property of the constituent materials. Fire classification of structures regarding fire resistance is done according to a system where the property is labelled with a letter – e.g. R, E or I – and an index indicating the time that this property is maintained, e.g. REI60. Doors are also classified concerning smoke leakage, property S_a or S_200.

Examples of classifications:

• EI60 (non-loadbearing wall/ceiling with fire separation function in 60 minutes)
• REI60 (load-bearing wall/floor/roof with fire separation function in 90 minutes)
• RE90 (load-bearing wall/floor/roof with fire separation function in 90 minutes)

The criteria for the classes can be found in the classification standard EN 13501-2.

Construction Products Regulation (CPR)

Testing is carried out with regard to harmonised European testing standards, which were developed by the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN). A fire-classified construction product can be CE-marked if the other properties, according to the European Commission's Construction Products Regulation, have also been verified. This is governed by several so-called harmonised product standards issued by the European standardisation CEN and referred to by the EU in relation to the Construction Products Regulation.

Replaced the Construction Products Directive (CPD)

The Construction Products Regulation (CPR) (305/2011) 2011 has replaced the previous Construction Products Directive (CPD) (89/106/EEC) from 1989 and is thus mandatory for all Member States. The previous directive was introduced by the European Commission to facilitate free trade in construction products within the EU. 

Requirements of the Construction Products Regulation

The Regulation contains six essential requirements for the building itself. One of these requirements is safety in case of fire. Therefore, construction products have to be fire-classified based on the same standards across the EU. A Member State requiring a certain level of fire safety can then identify the desired fire property using the common fire classes.

Specifications in the Construction Products Regulation

The Construction Products Regulation can only work if there are several specifications. In the field of fire, the definition of fire classes, harmonised test methods and declaration of conformity are important specifications. The European fire classes and the rules for declaration of conformity are published by the European Commission. Test standards and product standards are published by CEN. Product standards become harmonised only when approved by the Commission.

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