August 8, 2019
In an effort to continue the advancement of societal well-being and improve safety globally, UL is excited to announce a new certification program available for thermal barrier coating materials used in conjunction with foam plastic insulation.
This certification program evaluates thermal barriers covering foam plastic insulation, as required by the 2018 International Building Code Section 2603.4.1. The fundamental testing requirements for this certification program are based on NFPA 275.
This test standard requires two separate fire tests of the thermal barrier coating system. The first test is a thermal transmission test that adheres to the fire endurance exposure of ASTM E119 or ANSI/UL 263, Standard for Fire Tests of Building Construction Materials. The second test consists of an evaluation of how the thermal barrier protects the foam insulation to limit the flame spread and smoke development in accordance with ANSI/UL 1715, Standard for Fire Test of Interior Finish Material or NFPA 286. Each of these 15-minute tests is aimed at evaluating the thermal barrier’s ability to limit foam plastic insulation from experiencing elevated temperatures or exposure to flame.
Products certified to this program will be filed under the UL category for Thermal Barrier Systems for Protection of Foam Plastic Insulation and Metal Composite Materials (CAWO). This certification program complements the Canadian certification program equivalent under product category CAW07 and XCLA7. The certification information will appear as shown in the illustrative example below.
As indicated by the table above, the thermal barrier coating material will be certified based on the systems physical and performance characteristics. The certification will be limited to the specific coating material and foam insulation (or metal composite material) evaluated in accordance with NFPA 275.
For more information, please contact firesafetyquote@ul.com.