Non-combustible Aluminum Plate
Worldwide issues surrounding the use of combustible material cladding, specifically non-fire-rated aluminum composite material (ACM) with a polyethylene (PE) core, have been driven to the forefront of building safety in recent years due to numerous high-rise fires across the globe where combustible cladding contributed to the fire spreading at an uncontrollable rate.
The use of ACM with a PE core, rather than a fire-rated (FR) core, can have devastating and deadly consequences, as we’ve seen with major fires fuelled by combustible cladding. The most well-known example is the Grenfell Tower fire in London, England when the use of a combustible exterior wall assembly was responsible for the quick spread of flames that resulted in the deaths of 72 people in June 2017.
Aluminum composite material with a PE core doesn’t comply with building code when used above certain heights. The International Building Code (IBC) requires that external wall assemblies (cladding, insulation and walls) on high-rise buildings with combustible components must pass a rigorous real-world test made known by the National Fire Protection Association under the name NFPA 285. In the United States, the use of PE-core ACM on high-rise buildings has been heavily regulated for decades. In Canada, the CAN/ULCS-114 test is the standard for determining the non-combustibility of materials used in the construction of buildings.
Elemex’s non-combustible Alumitex Plate product meets and exceeds these test standards, allowing designers and architects to use aluminum plate in any capacity on a building facade.
ALUMITEX ALUMINUM PLATE
We’ve seen a construction trend of using aluminum plate rather than ACM for many buildings, as aluminum plate is solid and won’t burn like some composites. Alumitex aluminum plate is a high strength, low weight aluminum alloy sheet that is durable and has excellent formability. The solid aluminum plate panels are non-combustible and therefore have no installation limitations. Additionally, our aluminum plate is climate defiant, UV resistant, and weatherproof with an added weather barrier using a pressure-equalized rainscreen, keeping rain and snow from getting into the wall cavity.
On top of being non-combustible and extremely durable, Alumitex aluminum plate offers the versatility of creating square, crisp lines or compound curves and there’s endless possibility of color choices as the panels are post-painted. Built on Unity attachment technology, Alumitex aluminum plate is easy to install and can integrate seamlessly with other Elemex architectural facade systems.
Elemex manufactures facade panels rather than simply supplying sheets, so we know the details of the building in advance of the project and, as a result, which products should be used as per the regulations.
Elemex Architectural Facade Systems
530 Admiral Dr,
London, ON
N5V 0B2
Canada
+1 844-435-3639
