"We are the only European laboratory with accredited capacity; CAN/ULC-S134-13 Standard"
We have extended the accreditation scope of large-scale façade fire testing to include the Canadian CAN/ULC-S134-13 Standard.
TECNALIA, leader in technological research and development and a laboratory of national reference, has recently extended its ENAC accreditation scope by incorporating a large-scale fire test method for façades (CAN/ULC-S134-13: Standard method of fire test of exterior wall assemblies), thus increasing the capacity for large-scale testing façade.
- TECNALIA's internationally recognised Fire Laboratory already had a list of large-scale façade tests under ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation since it launched its large-scale façade testing laboratory in 2018. Initially, the British standard BS 8414, which was included early in the scope of accreditation, was taken as a reference standard.
- In 2020, NFPA 285, the reference standard in the United States for testing and evaluation of fire spread in façades and a valid reference for the Middle East market, was included in the scope as a way to comply with the Dubai Fire and Life Safety Code, for example.
- The latest addition is CAN/ULC-S134, a Canadian national standard. This makes us the only European laboratory to offer testing standards that are used outside Europe.
Capacity of TECNALIA’s accredited large-scale testing on façades
- BS 8414-1: Test method for non-loadbearing external cladding systems applied to the masonry face of a building
- BS 8414-2: Test method for non-loadbearing external cladding systems fixed to and supported by a structural steel frame
- NFPA 285: Standard Fire Test Method for Evaluation of Fire Propagation Characteristics of Exterior Non Load-Bearing Wall Assemblies Containing Combustible Components
- CAN/ULC-S134-13: Standard method of fire test of exterior wall assemblies.
Accreditation Scope
The CAN/ULC-S134 accreditation evaluates the performance of an exterior wall assembly under specific, controlled fire conditions, representing fire exposure resulting from a fire in a compartment that vents through an opening in the wall. The standard provides a methodology and evaluation criteria to determine the comparative combustion characteristics of exterior wall assemblies taking into account:
- The spread of fire on the exterior surface.
- The heat flow on the exterior surface.
- The spread of fire within the test sample.
TECNALIA has become a strategic partner for a construction sector that is constantly evolving and expanding: it offers a comprehensive service in the fire performance of façades, as well as characterising and assessing the reliability, efficiency and safety of façades and their components.
