Each component of a building, depending on its specific function, must meet a range of technical requirements, and the building as a whole must achieve the corresponding overall performance levels. All ceramic products directly contribute to compliance with a building’s technical performance requirements in terms of:
Ceramics are inert and non-combustible materials, made from natural raw materials which, through a thermal process at 1250°C, give rise to one of the building materials with the best fire reaction performance. One of the most notable characteristics of ceramics—directly resulting from their manufacturing process—is that they do not burn, do not contribute fuel to a fire and do not participate in combustion (watch the video).
This property is explicitly recognised by current regulations, which state that ceramic surfaces, regardless of installation conditions or intended use, must be classified in the highest reaction-to-fire class, both for flooring and wall coverings. This characteristic is also confirmed by a study carried out by the Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Research (CIRI) on Advanced Mechanics and Materials (MAM) at the University of Bologna. The study analyses the reaction to fire of PBMs (plastic-based material floorings) and provides an in-depth assessment of the accuracy of commercial claims made in brochures, websites and technical datasheets for these products. For further information, please refer to the study summary.
In recent years, a number of tragic fire incidents involving high-rise buildings clad with façade systems designed to improve energy efficiency have raised concerns about the fire behaviour of the building envelope. In this context, Confindustria Ceramica and ASCER (Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturers’ Association) commissioned the University of Bologna, Centro Ceramico, ITC (Institute of Ceramic Technology) and Forensic Experts S.r.l. to carry out the study “Fire behaviour and energy efficiency of the building façade: the benefits of ceramic tiles”. The study analyses the positive contribution that ceramic materials can make both to energy efficiency and to the fire performance of the building envelope, compared with alternative solutions. In particular, it examines how façade systems incorporating ceramic or terracotta cladding and clay building materials can enhance both energy efficiency and fire safety, in renovation projects as well as in new buildings, outlining both the regulatory framework and the technical assessment of different façade systems.. For further information, the following resources are available:
(Photo: pixabay.com)
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