Using the right cladding product is imperative for optimal performance, longevity, and safety. The cladding industry offers several material options, but the gold standard in Deemed to Satisfy (DtS) non-combustible cladding is ALPOLIC™ NC/A1.
Key Insights
- Choosing Deemed to Satisfy (DtS) non-combustible aluminium cladding significantly boosts building safety by preventing ignition and limiting the spread of fire. This is critical during an emergency.
- ALPOLIC™ NC/A1 is the leading DtS non-combustible aluminium cladding product, offering one of the highest global fire safety rating (EN 13501-1 A1) and full compliance with Australian building codes.
- Specifically engineered for Australia’s environment, ALPOLIC™ NC/A1 is also sustainable, offering excellent thermal insulation, low energy manufacturing, and recyclable materials.
- By using ALPOLIC™ NC/A1, builders can streamline regulatory compliance under the NCC while ensuring long-term durability and superior safety for high-rise and high-occupancy buildings.
What is DtS Non-Combustible Cladding?
Associated with the fire safety performance of an external building cladding system, “Deemed to Satisfy” (DtS) refers to a cladding system that meets specific, prescribed provisions and standards of the National Construction Code or NCC. These provisions include compliance with the relevant Australian Standards as well as the use of approved non-combustible materials.
(Australian Standards for external wall cladding measure performance and safety, and are governed by the NCC; for metal cladding, this is AS 1562.1. It covers factors including design, material quality, installation, water and wind resistance, and more.)
Using a DtS non-combustible cladding solution signifies that the material meets the NCC’s performance requirements, including those regarding the mitigation of fire spread both in terms of ignition and spread. By selecting a DtS cladding system, you need not provide further proof of compliance with the aforementioned performance requirements.
The Gold Standard in DtS Non-Combustible Cladding: ALPOLIC™ NC/A1
ALPOLIC™ NC/A1 DtS non-combustible aluminium cladding is an outstanding cladding product and the result of close collaboration between Mitsubishi Chemical Infratec Co. and the Australian company Network Architectural. Launched in 2019 and designed for Australia’s climate and conditions, it is comprised of two thin layers of aluminium sandwiching a non-combustible mineral core.
ALPOLIC™ NC/A1 fully complies with relevant Australian building codes and regulations. Its A1 classification is in accordance with the highest fire rating in the world: the European fire protection standard EN 13501-1.
What does this mean? This product has an exceptional fire safety profile. Installed properly, it will not ignite nor facilitate the spread of fire. This is critical to the fire safety of buildings, especially high-occupancy and high-rise buildings.
Additional Benefits of ALPOLIC™ NC/A1
This product also delivers several environmental and sustainability advantages.
Mitsubishi ALPOLIC™ production plants comply with ISO14001. This internationally recognised standard for Environmental Management Systems (EMS) provides organisations with a structured framework for the development and implementation of environmental policies.
The production plants are actively committed to preventing pollution, recovering both aluminium and mineral core material for recycling, and accepting materials from consumers for recycling under compliant recycling facility operating standards.
ALPOLIC™ NC/A1 is also environmentally friendly and has an Envronmental Product Declaration produced by GECA. It saves energy in buildings it’s used on by insulating interiors incredibly well, thereby reducing energy consumption. Its production also requires less energy to produce than does solid aluminium, and it uses far less aluminium by volume than solid aluminium panels do.
Conclusion
If a fire occurs, every second counts – and using DtS non-combustible exterior cladding is a wise and important choice to protect both human safety and building integrity, minimising fire spread and enhancing evacuation time. ALPOLIC™ NC/A1 is a premium cladding material choice.
