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1 NFPA 285 And What It Means For Air Barriers Presented to Air Barrier Association of America Annual Conference Chicago, IL April 12, 2012 By Jesse J. Beitel Senior Scientist / Principal

2 Copyright Materials This presentation is protected by US and International copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, display and use of the presentation without written permission of the speaker is prohibited. Hughes Associates, Inc. 2011

3 Learning Objectives History of NFPA 285 Requirements Requirements and conduct of tests to NFPA 285 Application of NFPA 285 in International Building Code Applicability and Use of NFPA 285 Testing & use of Weather-Resistive Barriers in NFPA 285 assemblies

4 History In mid 1970 s use of foam plastic on or in noncombustible exterior walls was proposed. EIFS & Steel/Foam/Steel /St l Panels Problems with use: Exterior walls of Type I, II, III or IV Construction must be noncombustible construction. Foam plastic is combustible & past history Issues raised over potential for vertical and horizontal fire spread due to the combustible foam plastic insulation 4

5 History (continued) SPI began work in Codes and testing. Discussions w/ Code & Fire Officials. Drafting of Code language. Testing program Testing was to determine efficacy of proposed p wall systems to resist flame spread. Testing was to provide reproducible tests at an independent d laboratory.

6 Objectives of Multi-Story Fire Test Can the wall covering/panel resist: Flame propagation over face of the wall covering Vertical flame propagation within the combustible core or components Flame propagation over interior surface from one floor to the next Lateral Flame propagation p to adjacent compartments Does not address floor-line line joint per se. 6

7 SPI Multi-Story Test Program Test Design Outside two-story building 24 ft. (7.3 m) high, each floor was 12 ft. (3.6 m) high Test walls formed two exterior walls of the building. Walls were ~ 26 ft. high x 18 ft. wide (7.9 m x 5.5 m) One wall had a window for fire ventilation Wall instrumented to measure temperatures on exterior face and in combustible core materials as well as in the burn room and on the interior surface of the walls in the burn room area. Ignition source was 1,285 lb (583 kg) wood crib placed in first floor. Fire source designed to produce E119 fire exposure to interior of 1 st floor walls and allow flames to extend out of the window and expose the exterior wall surface. Run test of 30 minutes Pass/Fail based on visual observations and instrumentation. 7

8 UBC 17-6 / UBC 26-4 Test In Progress 8

9 Multi-Story Fire Test Code Development Test program completed in late 1980 Code change to Plastics Section adopted in 1988 UBC Versions adopted by NBC and SBC Full-scale test was also adopted as UBC Used by all ESs. In 1994 edition of UBC reorganization moved plastics to Chapter 26 and test method became UBC

10 Multi-Story Fire Test 2 nd Generation Recognized that problems existed with full- scale test: Weather Timing construction on building Costs In early 1990 s, SPI started a test program to create a reduced-scale d version of test. t Intermediate-scale test developed in

11 UBC 26-9 / NFPA 285

12 Multi-Story Fire Test nd Generation Code Adoption 2 nd New test adopted as UBC 26-9 in 1997 edition. Test submitted to NFPA Committee on Fire Tests and it was adopted as NFPA 285 in NFPA 285 Standard d Fire Test Method for Evaluation of Fire Propagation Characteristics of Exterior Non-load-bearing Wall Assemblies Containing Combustible Components ICC IBC specifies NFPA

13 NFPA 285 The Test Method By Mike Luna Intertek Testing Services

14 Applications Of NFPA 285 In IBC Foam Plastics (~1988) Combustible Veneers Use over 40 ft. MCMs & ACMs (~2000) HPLs (~2009) EIFS (~2009) FRPs (~2009) Water-resistive resistive barriers (2012) Why? Combustible materials Passes & Failures

15 Applicability of NFPA applies to any exterior wall where required by Code 285 is a test of a complete wall assembly & applies only to the tested construction similar to ASTM E119 Appropriate extension of tested configurations is possible but within limits

16 Applicability of NFPA 285 Part 2 Substitutions of one material for another can (maybe) cause different test results Addition of combustibles (insulation, WRBs, etc.) can cause different test results Changes in configurations (air gaps, attachment systems, etc.) can cause different results

17 Applicability of NFPA 285 (Part 3) Wall systems made of a number of Class A (E84) materials does not ensure a successful NFPA 285 test Wall systems made of a number of previously NFPA 285 tested materials does not ensure a successful NFPA 285 test 17

18 Why The Interest Now?? Energy / CI & New Exterior Wall Building Technology

19 WRB Definitions My definition = Weather-resistive resistive barriers include: Air barriers Vapor barriers Water barriers???? Barriers IBC: Water-resistive resistive barrier liquid id

20 WRB Code Requirement Vertical and lateral flame propagation. Exterior walls on buildings of Type I, II, III or IV construction that are greater than 40 feet ( mm) in height above grade plane and contain combustible water-resistive resistive barrier shall be tested in accordance with and comply with the acceptance a ce criteria of NFPA 285.

21 Steel stud Interior wall membrane Foam insulation Insulation in stud cavity WRB Sheathing e Exterior veneer Cavity air spac Potential Variations of Wall Systems

22 How Do WRBs Meet NFPA 285? There is no one test or test assembly to qualify a WRB for use in all assemblies Perform NFPA 285 test WRB is one of several materials in assembly Limited engineering analysis based on NFPA 285 tests in conjunction w/ small- scale tests.

23 Engineering Analysis Use WRB X in a successful NFPA 285 test Develop fire performance parameters for WRB X (ASTM E1354 Cone Calorimeter) Develop fire performance parameters for WRB Y Compare fire performance parameters if same or better, then maybe substitute Y for X in tested assembly

24 Issues Need more NFPA 285 tests w/ WRBs A WRB will always have to be married to an assembly or assemblies Too many NFPA 285 tests to say they can be used everywhere Need a public database (fire properties) p for WRBs Who can establish & maintain? Provide easy access by specifiers

25 Applicability of NFPA 285 WRBs Use of WRBs can cause different results Substitution of WRBs can cause different results Even tested WRBs cannot necessarily be applied to other foams, veneers, etc. Same issues as with other NFPA 285 tests t materials, configuration., etc.

26 This is NOT the performance you want in either a test or in real life!

27 Summary NFPA 285 provides a determination of vertical fire performance of exterior wall assemblies. NFPA 285 performance verified by actual fire performance of exterior walls. NFPA 285 tested systems will reduce the potential for vertical flame spread by exterior walls. NFPA 285 data/results must be used in an appropriate manner. NFPA 285 systems/assemblies will increase and greater choices will be available

28 Thank You & Questions? 28