What is the Construction Products Directive (CPD)?

The CPD was established in 1991, and is one of the so-called New Approach Directives, which seek to remove technical barriers to trade within the European Economic Area (EEA) as part of the move to achieve a Single Market.

The EEA comprises the European Community and those states in the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) other than Switzerland. The intention of the CPD is to replace existing national standards and technical approvals with a single set of European-wide technical specifications for construction products. Any manufacturer whose products are specified and CE marked according to these technical specifications cannot have their products refused entry to EEA markets on technical grounds. Under the CPD a product bearing the CE mark will be presumed to have met the requirements of these specifications.

The fundamental objective of the CPD is to ensure that products which have demonstrated that they are fit for their intended use can be freely traded across the EEA. The CPD establishes a single, agreed standard for demonstrating fitness for purpose as well as a system of certification and test bodies which are recognised as being competent throughout the European Community.

Thus the CPD lays down the requirements for construction products to be legally placed on the EEA market and the conditions to bear the CE marking, in the form of European technical specifications.

European technical specifications

There are two types of European specifications: harmonized European Standards (hENs), and European Technical Approvals (ETA's). Manufacturers who wish to take advantage of the Single Market will in most cases need to ensure their products meets the requirements of one or the other.

Manufacturers must meet the requirements of harmonized European Standards in order to be able to affix a CE Mark. Where harmonized European Standards are not available or cannot be agreed upon, Technical Reports may be issued, but it is not mandatory for the Member States to adopt these into their national standards.

If a product complies with a European Standard, can it be sold anywhere in Europe?

No. Firstly, most Member States will require the manufacturer to demonstrate compliance with European specifications by them affixing a CE mark. CE marking to the CPD is mandatory in all countries except UK, Sweden and Ireland, where it is voluntary. So if a product that originates from one of these three countries is not CE marked, it may not be sold elsewhere within the Community.

Secondly, even though a broad performance standard might be agreed, account must be taken of different geographic and climatic conditions within Europe. For this reason each Member State is allowed to establish different specifications for classes of performance of products to reflect these different conditions.

EN standards

EN Standards are written by CEN, the European standards organization, on the basis of a mandate from the Commission. Standards detail the performance characteristics required of products to allow construction works to meet six essential requirements to achieve a minimum safety requirement. The six essential requirements for the good performance of construction works are :
· Mechanical robustness
· Safe performance in case of fire
· Hygienic, healthy and favouring the environment
· Safe in use
· Offering protection against noise
· Offering economic operation so as to reduce energy usage

Standards also set out the testing regime and the participation of third party certification or test bodies in order to demonstrate that products meet the required standard.

EN 12101

The EN 12101 series of standards cover products in the field of smoke control. EN 12101-2 relates to Natural Smoke & Heat Exhaust Ventilators (NSHEVs), and has become mandatory to use as from 1 September 2006, replacing various national regulations and testing methods, including BS 7346 and DIN 18232.

The EN12101-3 standard, which describes the requirements for Mechanical SHEVs, has had this status since April 2005. The EN12101-1 standard, which describes the requirements for Smoke Barriers, is the next standard to be in force, as from August 2008. EN 12101-7 and 8, Smoke Ducts and Smoke Dampers product standards, and EN 12101- 9 and 10, Control Panels and Power Supplies, are in the pipeline.

The EN 12101-2 Natural Smoke and Heat Exhaust Ventilator Standard

The test parameters are set out here:

Snow load SL class (SL 0, 125, 250, 500, 1000 N/m²)	Maximum snow load class under which the NSHEV will open. Test to ensure that NSHEV will open and stay open under load.
Wind load WL class (WL 0, 1500, 3000 N/m²)	Maximum wind load class for the NSHEV. Test to ensure that when closed the NSHEV has to withstand the negative (suction) pressure of the class.
Reliability classification RE class (Re 50, 1000)	How many times the NSHEV can be opened in the smoke and heat exhaust mode. Test to ensure that the ventilator will be reliable.
Resistance to heat B class (B 300, 600 °C)	Up to what temperature the NSHEV can be opened and made to stay open.
Low ambient temperature classification T class (T -25, -15, -05, 00 ...°C)	Down to what low ambient temperature it is possible to operate the NSHEV.
Aerodynamic free area of the NSHEV Aa data	Tests to define the aerodynamic free area, to ensure that the NSHEV will perform efficiently.
Dual purpose ventilator	Test to ensure that the NSHEV will perform reliably for day-to-day ventilation (10,000 cycles).
Snow load test	Heat resistance test

Colt and EN 12101

Colt participated in the drafting of the formulation of the EN Standards right from the start. It also elected to CE Mark its products to the Construction Products Directive in advance of its competitors and in order to coincide with the introduction of Part L of the Building Regulations. Such labelling is intended to make product characteristics more transparent to those specifying such products.

Most Colt factory-made natural and powered ventilators and smoke curtains are now CE Marked to the CPD.
Eligibility for the CE mark is the result of Colt's high manufacturing and design standards and the third-party proven safety performance of its products.

A leaflet (0.6 MB) is available for download which sets out the attributes of the Colt CE marked product range.

Conclusions

Products that comply with the CPD and are CE marked give specifiers and end users peace of mind. This is becoming a vital consideration for them, since they know that any such equipment is state of the art with regards to all aspects of safety, and meets all relevant regulations.