What are the differences between commercial and industrial roof product certifications and testing standards in North America?
In this blog post, we are focusing on FM (Factory Mutual), UL, and ASTM standards, and touch on how these compare to standards in Canada and Europe.
FM (Factory Mutual) Certification Standards
FM Approvals is a globally recognized organization that certifies roofing products based on rigorous testing criteria. Their standards ensure that roofing systems can withstand fire, wind uplift, and hail damage.
One key standard is FM 4470, which covers roofing systems and assemblies. FM certification is crucial for insurance purposes and risk management, providing peace of mind that the products will perform as expected under extreme conditions. FM 4470 includes wind, fire, hail, and foot traffic testing. Their newest VSH hail testing standard has positively changed the industry.
FM conducts semi-annual factory audits for QC/QA compliance, etc. While the testing is important, the accountability through regular auditing practices is probably the most important aspect of FM Approval that no one talks about much.
One thing to note, FM tests brand-new materials from the factory and does not often test materials that have gone through real-life conditions.
UL Certification Standards
UL, or Underwriters Laboratories. UL is renowned for its expertise in safety science and global recognition. They focus on fire safety, electrical safety, and overall performance.
For roofing, UL 790 is a critical standard for roof covering materials, ensuring they meet fire resistance requirements. Another important standard is UL 263, which tests the fire resistance of building materials. UL certification helps manufacturers demonstrate compliance and build trust with consumers.
UL focus is on fire ratings and resistance for flat roof systems and some would argue their fire classifications are more stringent than FM. Otherwise, UL ratings are seen as the golden standard for the residential roofing industry.
Miami-Dade Certification
In the State of Florida, Miami-Dade NOA is typically required in any of the hurricane or high-velocity zones. Although the State of Florida recognizes FM 4470 approval for HVHZ when minimum wind uplift data is confirmed. Miami-Dade counties had created their own testing and approval standards to protect buildings in the Miami area from hurricanes and high winds.
ASTM Certification Standards
ASTM International develops voluntary consensus standards used worldwide. ASTM standards cover a wide range of roofing products, ensuring they meet specific quality and performance criteria. For example, ASTM D4434 specifies polyvinyl chloride (PVC) roofing membrane standards. These standards are essential for manufacturers to ensure their products are reliable and effective.
Within the ASTM standards are individual ASTM tests, such as ASTM E96, for water vapor transmission. It’s important to look at individual ASTM test performance, versus compliance with an ASTM standard as a whole. And there are many ASTM tests beyond what is within an ASTM standard that are extremely important.
One thing to note, ASTM standards for roof coatings can be limited and highly influenced by the chemical suppliers and manufacturers themselves, often creating bias. Whereas looking at the individual ASTM performance on a test-by-test basis, in the USA market, will yield better data for clients and designers to make decisions. Caution results from tests that use brand-new material in a factory and lab-controlled environment does not predict excellence in performance.
CRRC Cool Roofing Rating Council
The CRRC was created to establish a registry of products to confirm whether they are compliant with various cool roof solar reflectivity requirements across the country. Manufacturers become members of the CRRC and then they list their test results which are compliant using accredited and recognized ASTM labs. Initial, rapid lab aging, and 3-year “test farm” aging results are provided.
Comparison of USA, Canada, and Europe Standards
In the USA, FM, UL, and ASTM standards are widely used to ensure roofing products meet stringent safety and performance criteria.
In Canada, standards like CAN/ULC-S107 for fire tests of roof coverings and CSA A123.21 for dynamic wind uplift resistance are crucial. The CSA (Canadian Standards Association) wind uplift test is dynamic, compared to FM which is static. In 2012, the single-ply roofing industry organization actually stated the CSA dynamic wind uplift test should be used instead of the static FM test because it closely mimics real-world real-life events. Static winds and gusts do not occur in the natural world, they are always dynamic and fluctuating. CSA has standards for all types of commercial membranes, from Modified Bitumen to EPDM to TPO. Beyond that, low-slope roof products are evaluated and certified by the Canada Construction Materials Centre (CCMC). This registry lists the products and assemblies compliant with Canadian building code. In the USA, we have International Building Code, but no nationwide registry of products. The only thing similar to CCMC is in Florida, where the State of Florida requires all products to be in their registry as approved and certified by Florida Building Code, otherwise they cannot be used on construction projects.
Europe has ETA (European Technical Assessment), issued by EOTA European Organization for Technical Approval, which is the primary certification route for low-slope and flat roofing products in the EU. With this certification, manufacturers can affix the widely recognizable CE marking. This technical assessment is specific to the type of product and application and typically can involve dozens of tests, way more than anything required here in North America. With fire testing alone, there are 4 different test methods utilized through the EU, with various countries requiring something different than another due to climate. Besides fire and wind, they also test dynamic and static puncture in various conditions, tearing, flexibility, adhesion, and more. While the U.S. has ASTM tests that test all the same performance characteristics, they are not used as part of FM or UL certification.
Additionally, these European approvals have various levels included, such as expected lifespan, climate zone use, and foot traffic amount. Some products may be certified to be used in mild climates, with minimal foot traffic, for only 10 years. Others may be certified to be used in the harshest environments with heavy traffic for over 20 years. These types of classifications don’t exist in the Americas.
In the UK, which is outside of the EU, they have what is called BBA (British Board of Agrement). This body assesses, tests, and certifies building products. This certification is also recognized by design professionals outside of the UK. The BBA certification actually has a “guaranteed performance” expectation, a legal “peace of mind” protection for building owners who use BBA-certified products, and a “documented service life”. Triton Inc. offers a slip-resistant PVC, which has a 40-year documented service life with its BBA certification. Additionally, in all of these European certifications, slip-resistance is included, which is not even a conversation yet in the U.S.
When it comes to liquid-applied membranes, current standards and approvals in North America are lacking or non-existent. In Europe, there are specific ETA certifications for liquid-applied membranes. Product technologies have evolved and progressed, and U.S. test methods and standards need to as well.
Conclusion
Understanding these common roofing certifications and standards is essential for anyone in the roofing industry, and it’s important to learn the basics and limitations of each test so you are properly educated and insured.
