3A Composites Americas has announced an exterior wall assembly milestone for designing with ALUCOBOND PLUS panels, while maintaining fire safety through National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 285 compliance.
ALUCOBOND PLUS, when used in rainscreen applications, has successfully passed another series of rigorous tests, complying with the 2024 International Building Code (IBC). This compliance was achieved by meeting the specific fire safety requirements of NFPA 285, Standard Fire Test Method for Evaluation of Fire Propagation Characteristics of Exterior Wall Assemblies Containing Combustible Components. 3A Composites Americas is the first aluminum composite material (ACM) manufacturer to pass NFPA 285 with mineral wool assembly testing and an air cavity gap between the façade and sheathing as wide as 177.8 mm (7 in.). Note – Larger air cavity gaps may exist for proprietary, project-specific NFPA tests.
”The successful NFPA 285 testing resulted in the largest air cavity spaces for a wall assembly incorporating mineral wool insulation and an ACM in my experience,” says Art Parker, principal fire protection engineer, Jensen Hughes. “Additional testing and analysis will allow for evaluating project wall assemblies with air cavity spaces potentially larger than tested.”
“Achieving this large cavity air gap wall assembly building code compliance for ALUCOBOND PLUS is a significant breakthrough for maximizing aesthetic options without any compromise on the fire safety and façade performance,” says Mike Marushka, vice president of architecture sales, 3A Composites Americas. “The investment in testing and engineering analysis by 3A Composites Americas has provided validated solutions that address the specifics of the IBC, ensuring fire safety, durable wall performance, freedom of design, and lower installation costs for complex facades.”
