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Why
do we need a new Standard?
What must I do differently?
I currently have a Kitemark to BS 5713. What do
I do now?
I import units into the UK. How does this affect me?
My spacer supplier says my units meet BS 5713. What
should I do now?
I only sell locally. Do I need to meet the Construction
Products Directive (CPD)?
I am told I do not have to CE mark, so why worry about
EN 1279?
Why are Trading Standards involved?
I am not a member of the GGF. How does this affect
me?
The CPD has no relevance to me, so why should I do
anything different?
I make my own units. Do I need to meet the CPD?
I currently carry out high humidity testing.
Do I need to carry on?
Can I still gas fill?I gas fill. What extra must
I do under the new Standard?
Is it true that single seal units will not meet the
Standard?
I make units for structural glazing. Do they have
to meet the Standard?
I want to dual source. Is this possible?
I only make 6 mm cavity units. What effect will the
new Standard have on my business?
Do I have to go to BSI for the tests?
Why
do we need a new Standard?
BS 5713 was, at the time of its introduction, a good starting point, and
helped to improve the quality of products in the UK. Unfortunately, UK
industry did not keep pace with international developments, and our standard
became the lowest performance standard in Europe.
With the advent of the European Economic Area, the politicians wanted
everyone to trade on an equal technical basis. As a result the concept
of harmonised standards was introduced. This, together with the Construction
Products Directive (CPD), became the cornerstone of the European move
towards a standardised construction industry. The new Standard EN 1279
is one of several that will influence the construction industry in the
UK. Many of these Standards are already published.
What must I
do differently?
EN 1279 is designed in such a way that control of the manufacturer of
units forms a more stringent part of the Standard. In the current BS 5713,
the dew point of units is measured to -40°C. Therefore units can have
a dew point from - 40°C to - 100°C and still pass. With EN 1279,
all units must be within 10°K of the stated value. Similarly, your
gas concentration must be close to the level stated. If you make only
20mm cavity units, then these can be submitted for type testing - you
do not have to make special 12 mm cavity units for test purposes only.
I currently
have a Kitemark to BS 5713. What do I do now?
You will need to have your units tested to the new Standard. As the holder
of the Kitemark, you will already have received a letter from BSI explaining
the new arrangements. You will also need to modify your scheme protocol
to bring it into line with Part 6 of EN 1279 - BSI will supply you with
the relevant documents. You will be able to retain your Kitemark to show
that your product has been assessed independently to the Standard. However,
care must be taken with your labelling to avoid confusion.
I import units
into the UK. How does this affect me?
All products placed on the market, including the home market, must comply
with the CPD. lf you import from within the European Economic Area, you
will require a copy of the test certificate relating to the product. If
you import from outside the EEA, you must have the product tested, and
carry out a finished product factory production control procedure to demonstrate
ongoing compliance.
My spacer supplier
says my units meet BS 5713. What should I do now?
Remember the spacer bar supplier is not a notified body, and is only giving
sales service testing, not approval to the Standard. Your units will have
to be tested by a notified body to Part 2 of EN 1279 (and Part 3 in the
case of gas filled units); and you will need to prepare a factory production
control (FPC) manual to Part 6, and ensure that you work to it. There
are certain other tasks which will require your arrention, particularly
with regards to labelling.
I only sell
locally. Do I need to meet the Construction Products Directive (CPD)?
The CPD became part of UK construction law on 1 June l996. The fact that
your product will be used in a building, whether domestic or commercial,
will require you to meet the CPD requirements. This is true for local
sales as well as export. Control will be maintained through building control
officers, and trading standards officers. All materials for the construction
industry will eventually be covered by the CPD. The window industry will
have to respond to that challenge and meet EN 1279.
I am told I do
not have to CE mark, so why worry about EN 1279?
Although at present UK legislation does not require your product to be
marked for the: home market, it does require that you comply with the
essential requirements of thc CPD. The only practical way of meeting this
obligation is to comply with EN 1279.
Why are
Trading Standards involved?
Trading Standards Officers will be responsible for ensuring that manufacturers
comply with the requirements of the Standard. They will have powers to
examine the manufacturer's FPC records, and to check the validity of the
test certificate. They will work with Building Control Officers, who will
ensure that oniy goods which comply are used on site.
I am not a member
of the GGF. How does this affect me?
The new Standard and the CPD affect everyone. Membership of a Trade Association
is not in itself necessary to meet either the CPD or EN 1279. However,
the GGF has worked hard for many years on behalf of UK industry, to prevent
the introductian of an excessively onerous Standard. Without the input
of the GGF, the UK would be facing substantially higher manufacturing
costs than will now be the case.
The CPD has
no relevance to me, so why should I do anything different?
The CPD affects everyone supplying goods to the construction industry,
including bricks, cement, timber and windows. It also covers the supply
of goods to home improvements as well as new build. Therefore the CPD
does have relevance to your work.
I make my own
units. Do I need to meet the CPD?
If the units are sold for use in a construction, whether for new build
or home
improvement, domestic or commercial, you will need to meet the CPD.
I currently
carry out high humidity testing. Do I need to carry on?
Although high humidity testing is not called for in EN l279, and therefore
strictly speaking you do not have to do it, you would be well advised
to carry on. EN 1279 is based on the premise that, if all the ingredients
are controlled and covered by certificates of conformity, and the manufacturing
process is fully controlled then the end product will be satisfactory.
If you have any doubts about either the ingredients or the process, then
high humidity testing, described in the Standard as the 'periodic test'
(see Part 6), will give a degree of confidence which would otherwise not
be available.
Can I still
gas fill?
Yes, gas filling is covered by Part 3 of EN 1279. You should be aware
that the Standard for gas filling is stringent, and requires the manufacturer
to monitor the factory environment, in order to allow the test house to
calculate the gas loss rate accurately.
I gas fill. What
extra must I do under the new Standard?
Gas filling is covered by Part 3 of the Standard. First, however, you
must meet Part 2, and have a FPC system in operation. You will have to
keep records of the atmospheric temperature and pressure in the factory
at the time the units were gas filled. You will also need to calibrate
whatever system you use to check your gas fill levels. Many systems are
too erratic for the purposes of EN 1279, and you could fail by having
a fill level outside your specified level. See Part 3 for more details.
Is it true that
single seal units will not meet the Standard?
No. The pass/fail criterion is based on the amount of water vapour which
penetrates the sealed edge. This will depend on the sealant thickness,
the amount of desiccant used, and the quality of the corners, among other
considerations. In general, some of the single seal polysulfides, polyurethanes,
and silicones may have difficulty in meeting the requirements. However,
you should also bear in mind the use of the product, in respect of its
size, location, and the chosen glazing method. While hot melt butyl and
PIB based systems will pass more readily as single seals because they
are not cured, there is a limit to the size which can be safely made.
I make units
for structural glazing. Do they have to meet the Standard?
Structural glazing is a special application. Units intended for this purpose
must not only meet EN 1279, but must also meet additional requirements.
It is better to obtain advice from either the GGF or your sealant supplier,
to establish what regime is required. A new European Standard covering
structural glazing will be published shortly.
I want to
dual source. Is this possible?
Yes, but first you must have a type test carried out on your main products.
Then you must check with the supplier of the alternative product to ensure
that its properties are within the limits laid down. If you cannot obtain
this information, you will be obliged to have type tests carried out on
all the combinations you envisage using. The substitution rules are set
out in Part I of EN 1279.
I only make
6 mm cavity units. What effect will the new Standard have on my business?
ln the short term, the same as for everyone else - you must meet the CPD,
and have your units tested by a third party which is a notified body.
In the longer term, 6 mm cavity units will be phased out. The NHBC already
stipulates 12 mm units; and the forthcoming Part L of the Building Regulations
will probably have the effect of making l2 mm cavities a minimum requirement.
The only exception likely will be for steel windows in conservation areas.
Do I have to
go to BSI for the tests?
Not necessarily. You must go to a notified body for the type test - a
list of these bodies appears on the DETR website. You can use any notified
body in Europe; and you can go to the one you deem most suitable for your
requirements.
CLICK
HERE for Technical Description of EN 1279 part 2
CLICK
HERE for EN1279 Background Info page
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