In 2007, a BS 8414 test was conducted on a cladding system that incorporated ‘new technology’ K15. The test failed and it has been incorrectly assumed that this was caused by diminished fire performance of “new technology” K15. However the 2007 test was on a very different cladding system to the one tested in 2005, and it also failed with non-combustible insulation when tested again in 2008.
Any comparison between the 2005 test and the 2007 test is ill-founded. No valid comparison can be made between the successful 2005 test on a system incorporating ‘old technology’ K15 and the 2007 test of a completely different cladding system incorporating ‘new technology’ K15. The tested systems differ in terms of their design, construction and the other products used. The differences between the tests would render any objective comparison of the performance of the insulation in the two tests impossible.
The system tested in the 2007 test was repeated in early 2008. The system was identical save that K15 was replaced with a non-combustible insulation. It too failed. Where a system using the same cladding fails when tested with both non-combustible insulation and combustible insulation, the clear conclusion is that the choice of insulation is not the dominant factor.
There is presently a suite of successful large-scale BS 8414 tests of cladding systems, commissioned by Kingspan, which incorporate K15. They evidence the fact that multiple different cladding systems incorporating K15 can pass the test. This is critical information to help inform appropriate fire engineering judgements by suitably qualified building professionals.