ArcelorMittal Constrution España recently obtained the certification of Ondatherm® Deck panels as per FM Approvals’ Standard 4471, applicable to sandwich panel roofs.
FM Global is a USA-based insurance company that operates its own private certification system, which is currently gaining ground in growing market sectors, such as large facilities for logistic centres. One of the reasons behind this expansion is the significant reduction in insurance premiums for buildings that use FM Approved products.
Their certification process is one of the most rigorous in the market. It is backed by scientific research and testing to certify not only the quality of the products, but also their technical integrity and performance, thus assuring that the products provide superior protection against property loss.
The certification, carried out by FM Approvals -a subsidiary of FM Global-, is recognised worldwide. It is based on objective property loss-prevention tests performed exclusively at FM Approvals’ Research Centre in West Glocester, Rhode Island, USA, which ensures the worldwide consistency of the process, as well as the quality of the tests.
Ondatherm® Deck, a prefabricated roofing solution
Deck roofs are flat roofs (with a slope of between 1% and 5%), normally used in large buildings designed for industrial or logistic use. This kind of roof was traditionally erected on site, using a trapezoidal profile as a base, PIR (rigid polyisocyanurate foam) or rock wool insulating blocks and an external waterproofing membrane.
The new Ondatherm® Deck panel is particularly suited to the requirements of this type of roof. The panel inner sheet replaces the traditional deck profile and ArcelorMittal’s proprietary foam PRT Hexacore® replaces the insulating blocks, which offers the possibility of minimising the outer sheet of the panel on which the waterproofing membrane is placed.
The new panel offers multiple advantages. Firstly, it offers a solution that provides a single fire rating for the entire system, whereas traditional deck roofs require individual assessments for each of the components. Moreover, thanks to the excellent thermal insulation properties of the PRT Hexacore® foam, the product can be manufactured with a lower thickness, while guaranteeing the same thermal insulation performance.
Secondly, the erection of an Ondatherm® Deck roof is safer and simpler, as it requires approximately 90% fewer intermediate fastenings compared with traditional deck roofs. From a mechanical point of view, the new panel works as a whole, offering a 30% superior behaviour compared with a traditional roof, where only the inner deck profile provides mechanical strength. Ondatherm® Deck panels meet the requirements of standard EN 14509:2013 and of CE marking.
Íñigo Lázaro, managing director of ArcelorMittal Construcción España, commented: “In 2018 we launched our revolutionary Ondatherm® Deck panel, and since then we have been working on securing FM Approvals’ certification. After two years of hard work, we have achieved it. I am sure that this significant milestone will open the door to many national and international projects in growing market sectors, like logistic buildings and department stores”.
