Verification of the Environmental Product Declarations of translucent roofing panels
ITeC has verified the Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) of six different types of synthetic boards for skylights, reviewing the production process, the input data of raw materials, the output data of the finished product, as well as waste and emissions. Those checks have also been used to update the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of each product.
Top Sec project: self-sustaining green roofing
Southern European cities are facing hotter summers and longer droughts. Against this backdrop, Top Sec project aims to develop and demonstrate naturalised green roofs with no need for irrigation and minimal maintenance. The key component for making them self-sustaining is an innovative substrate made from biochar derived from municipal organic waste sludge. Different water retention techniques and plant species will be also tested to identify the most efficient choices.
Structural performance of a support system for photovoltaic panels
The manufacturer of a construction system for installing photovoltaic panels on flat roofs needs to verify that it behaves adequately under wind pressure, wind suction and snow loads. The test plan has taken into account that the support elements are designed to set the panels at angles between 10° and 45°, which significantly influences the amount of stress on the system.
Characterization of metal deck roof kits
Metal deck roofs combine load-bearing, insulating, waterproofing and fixing elements. The proper performance of the whole kit depends on it having been designed and built according to correct criteria. A manufacturer has asked ITeC to accurately draw up these criteria, quantify the performance of the kits and verify the compliance with regulatory requirements (Spanish Building Code, Fire Safety Code for Industrial Premises)
Evaluation of roofs and facades with polycarbonate sheets
Manufacturers of building systems based on polycarbonate multiwall sheets must obtain a CE mark for their products. This implies that the sheets meet the requirements of EN 16153, but it does not provide any guarantee on the combined performance of the sheets and the substructure, which is the true responsible for stability, insulation and fire resistance. To fill this gap, an evaluation protocol will be designed, contemplating the behaviour of the building system as a whole and checking it against the national regulations.
Regulatory status of a stone-based cladding product
A company has developed a method for obtaining natural stone slabs a few millimetres thick and plans to manufacture composite panels using these slabs as a finish layer, with mechanical strength provided by a synthetic material. The resulting product does not fall within the scope of the harmonized regulations for natural stone and will therefore require its own assessment procedure to be marketed with the required CE marking.
Verification of Environmental Product Declarations of liquid waterproofing membranes
A manufacturer needed independent verification of the Life Cycle Analysis and Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) of its liquid waterproofing membranes, a task that ITeC has assumed as authorized consultant for the DAPcons® system. It was necessary to verify the origin and volumes of raw materials and the destination and volumes of waste, reflect the deviations in a report and finally declare the EPD valid.
Assessment of waterproofing building solutions with synthetic sheets
Waterproofing membranes for flat roofs are regulated by harmonized standards that engage manufacturers with the declaration of performance of the sheets themselves, but without going into how to put them in place correctly or how to meet the requirements of national building regulations such as the Spanish CTE. This assessment document addresses these shortcomings, defining the correct installation of the sheet and its accessory range, and clarifying the degree of compliance with CTE.
Fire reaction of the skylights of industrial buildings
When skylights are added on the top of an industrial building for lighting purposes, they become points of discontinuity in the roof that can be problematic in case of fire. The Spanish Fire Safety Regulation for Industrial Facilities requires that the skylight material must prove a certain type of fire reaction, but with a series of caveats that have prompted a manufacturer to request from ITeC a precise specification of the kind of performance that will be legally required from their products.
Minimum test programme for sandwich panels for roofs
The harmonised standard EN 14509 specifies the functional requirements and test methods for self‑supporting, double‑sided insulated sandwich panels. However, not all of these tests must be carried out in an accredited laboratory in order to begin the process of obtaining the CE mark. ITeC has clarified for a manufacturer which properties must be tested in the specific case of their panels, taking into account the way they will be installed, and distinguishing them from those tests that remain at the company’s discretion.
