As of August 2025, the UK government estimates that between 9,000 and 12,000 buildings require some form of cladding remediation. This raises an important question for building owners and developers: how do we ensure that existing façades or new façade systems comply with current regulations? A crucial part of this process is confirming that the materials used meet the required fire classification.

Many building products enter the market through the Construction Products Regulation System 3 route, which only involves testing. This means there’s no mandatory third-party oversight in the manufacturing process, placing the onus solely on those marketing the product to guarantee it maintains its original classification. This situation differs for items like ducts, dampers, and fire detection systems, which follow a separate protocol.

For those looking to verify whether a product still meets the necessary standards, options can be quite limited. While there are analytical techniques available to assess a product’s chemical composition, these techniques rely on the same methods used during the initial testing. Such analyses are only performed if explicitly requested at the time of the original test, and this level of scrutiny is not typically required under the European series of reaction to fire tests.

It’s essential to remember that reaction to fire tests often evaluate products made up of multiple components. The performance of the product as a whole can significantly influence the test results. Isolating a single component may not provide enough information to confirm the fire classification effectively.

Retesting is an option, but it comes with challenges. For instance, an SBI test requires a minimum of three samples, each measuring 1.5 square meters. If the inquiry relates to an existing building, the amount of available material may render retesting impractical. Even if adequate materials can be sourced, the associated costs and timelines can be prohibitive.

So, what alternatives do building owners, fire engineers, and regulators have to obtain quantitative data on the fire performance of construction materials? One promising option is the BS EN ISO 1716:2018 test. This test is mandatory for A1 classification and can be paired with the SBI test for A2 classification.

The BS EN ISO 1716 test requires only small quantities of material, making it feasible to extract samples from a building without compromising its structural integrity. The test is quick to conduct, which also helps keep costs down. Our experience has shown it to be both repeatable and accurate, producing data that is straightforward to interpret.

While the BS EN ISO 1716 test cannot replace a full classification and does have its limitations, System Laboratories believes it offers more value to the construction industry than its current application suggests.

If you’re interested in discussing this or any other reaction to fire tests, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help!