Fire Requirements – Aluminium Composite Material, Problems & Solutions

Facade fire safety has become one of the most closely scrutinised areas of building compliance in Australia over the past decade. Aluminium composite material, or ACM, remains widely specified for its appearance, workability and cost, but its fire performance varies considerably depending on the core material used.

For architects, specifiers and building surveyors, the challenge is knowing which ACM products are suitable for a given application, how the National Construction Code classifies combustibility, and what documentation is needed to demonstrate compliance.

By the end of this CPD session, you will be able to:

• Identify product selection criteria for determining suitable cladding and facade materials for different building classifications and risk profiles.
• Explain the Australian Standards relevant to Aluminium Composite Material products and how they inform compliant specification.
• Describe the Insurance Council of Australia’s guidelines and their implications for building risk and insurability.
• Apply a practical framework for progressing a project toward a fire-safe building outcome.

AACA NSCA Competency Standards related to this session:

PC12 PRACTICE MANAGEMENT AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
PC39 DETAILED DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTATION
PC45 DETAILED DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTATION

Speaker

Steve Huxham, M.AIRAH – National Facade Business Development Manager, TBA Firefly