Fitness for use in residential buildings
Article 16 of the fire safety regulation for residential buildings governs the use of combustible insulation materials in walls inside housing units.
If insulation materials or their use do not meet the requirements, the CSTB, as an approved test laboratory for reaction to fire and fire resistance, can be asked to evaluate their fitness for use.
The request for such an assessment is made in accordance with the provisions of the internal thermal insulation guide for residential buildings with respect to fire hazards (CSTB Specifications 3231, June 2000).
Fitness for use in premises open to the public
Article AM8 of the fire safety regulation concerning premises open to the public governs the use of combustible insulation materials in walls, facades, roofs, floors and plenum spaces.
Insulation products that do not meet the requirements of article AM8 can still be used if a report establishes that there is no exacerbation of a fire outbreak inside the building. This report is prepared by a body competent in reaction to fire and fire resistance, full-scale fire tests, digital simulations and fire engineering methods, depending on the case. The CSTB provides services in all these areas and can issue ad hoc reports.
Requests for reports are made in accordance with part III of the user guide for combustible insulation materials on premises open to the public.
