How Does the Building Code Define Vitraplate® as Non-Combustible?
The International Building Code (IBC) Section 703.4 establishes the criteria for determining a product’s non-combustibility. This definition is necessary, as ASTM E-136, a standard test for non-combustibility, is primarily applicable to elementary materials rather than manufactured or painted products such as Vitraplate®. 

Does Vitraplate® pass the ASTM E-136 test to prove that they are non-combustible?
The ASTM E-136 test is for elementary materials only and is therefore not for any painted product. As such, the aluminum used in Vitraplate® passes the ASTM E-136, meaning that Vitraplate® non-combustible.

Has Vitraplate® passed an NFPA 285 full scale wall assembly fire test?
The NFPA 285 test does not apply to Vitraplate®. It also does not apply to the non-combustible wall assembly applications where we recommend using Vitraplate®. The NFPA 285 is specifically made for combustible products, to allow their use in wall assemblies that are meant to use products rated as non-combustible according to the building code. Fairview Architectural has many products for many applications. Other MCM/ACM manufacturers with a single product range must try to make their product fit where it shouldn’t. By contrast, Fairview promotes VitrabondFR® where wall assemblies are permitted to contain combustible products and promotes Vitraplate® for use in non-combustible wall assemblies.

Why not have Vitraplate® tested in an NFPA285 wall assembly test? Wouldn’t that open up a greater market share?
It is not about market share – we simply develop the RIGHT product for the RIGHT application, and don’t try to promote saving pennies at the cost of life safety. Fairview Architectural was the first to discontinue the use of the flammable PE core ACM, and the first to develop non-combustible pre-finished solid aluminum building façade material, known as Vitraplate®.

Is there a full-scale wall assembly fire test for Vitraplate® in North America?
At this time non-combustible products themselves are not required to undergo full-scale wall assembly testing, and there are no full-scale fire tests for non-combustible products in the North American market. Fairview Architectural ensures that our products meet and exceed the testing criteria for the applications they are designed for, and invest into the development of the right product for each application.

Are other fire tests such as ASTM E-119 or ASTM E-84 required for Vitraplate®?
Many tests, such as ASTM E84 are used to determine the risk of using combustible products in construction. Specifically, ASTM E84 is to determine the surface burning characteristics of building materials. As Vitraplate® is classified as a non-combustible product according to ASTM E-136 and IBC Section 703.4, there is no surface burning, so ASTM E84 is not required by the building codes, nor is it applicable to the product.

Likewise, ASTM E119 as relates to walls is a test used for determining how long a fire can be prevented from passing through a wall assembly. An example of this is when you have a partition wall between a garage and living space, some codes require double 5/8” Type X gypsum to achieve a 2 hour rated wall. As a cladding material, there is no correlation between Vitraplate® and the ASTM E119 standard, therefore there is no way to perform this test according to the test standards and the use of the product.

Conclusion

We envision a building façade industry free of flammable cladding materials. We all understand that buildings need paint, adhesives, waterproofing, paper backers on drywall, etc… and we are working with conscientious insurers, code consultants, fire marshals, and architects who have embraced our vision as together we lead the change to a safer building façade industry.

Vitraplate® is a 3mm (1/8″) Pre-Finished solid aluminum cladding product made from 3000 series and 5000 series aluminum. The designation refers to the alloy composition of the cladding material, which has significant influence on the structural and physical characteristics. For example, aluminum alloy 3003 has a nominal content of 98.6% aluminum and 1.2% manganese (Mn) as the main alloying element for increased strength and formability. It is used as sheet for exterior cladding applications, and is a good substrate for architectural finishes². The 3003 aluminum alloy has strain-hardened temper for increased strength and hardness.

 

 

Pre-Finished Aluminum: Supply Chain and Processing

 

 

The supply chain of aluminum is complex. Fairview Architectural purchases coils of the mill-finish aluminum from aluminum coil manufacturers such as Texarkana Aluminum. Coil manufacturing is an intermediate process that involves receiving ingots, the stock form of aluminum, from an outside source. It is important to realize that the aluminum industry has become highly globalized⁷. Production of virgin aluminum metal, known as primary aluminum, is an electrochemical process that is very energy intensive⁷. It is Texarkana Aluminum’s initiative to use primary aluminum that is produced with sustainable energy⁸, such as natural gas or renewable energy sources. Texarkana Aluminum products have a post-industrial (pre-consumer) recycled content of 65%⁹. The aluminum is melted and cast into “rolling ingots” specifically for the hot-rolling process. These are fed through a reversing mill and a continuous hot rolling mill which progressively stretch and reduce the aluminum into sheet⁵. Then cold-rolling is performed to achieve the desired strength and temper, and the continuous aluminum sheet is coiled⁶. The term “mill-finish” describes the exposed finish of the aluminum inherent from the processes of the mill².

 

 

 

Exceptional Finishes

 

 

Vitraplate® has a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) exterior finish meeting AAMA 2605 performance standards¹⁰, providing an exceedingly high level of durability¹¹, and resistance to dirt accumulation because of its fluoropolymer formula¹². Fairview Architectural has extensive options regarding the aesthetics of PVDF finishes, and offers architects the opportunity for coordinating custom finishes. The variability of formulations allows for a wide range of colors, gloss, and special effects such as metallic speckling. Specific formulations are proprietary, but constituents such as metal oxides and mica pearlescent are used for aesthetic effects¹¹. The finish is factory-applied by coil coating¹³, a highly automated and highly efficient process. On a continuous coil coating line, the aluminum is uncoiled, pretreated, primed, coated, cured in a finish oven, then recoiled. The continuous coil process minimizes liquid paint waste with nearly a 100% transfer efficiency, and also accommodates controlled collection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)¹⁴. The exterior finish coating is extremely resistant to adverse conditions including airborne pollutants, salt spray in coastal environments, and other atmospheric corrosives¹¹.

 

 

 

Cladding Efficiency

To understand the efficiency of choosing prefinished Vitraplate® aluminum, the process of post-painting must be understood. The post-painting process for façade cladding panels starts with the fabricator receiving mill-finish aluminum sheets. Fabrication involves cutting to size, then routing and folding at the perimeter edges to result in continuous returns. Panels are packaged and shipped to a post-painter. Each panel is manually cleaned, then sprayed with a primer-coat. Once dried, paint is sprayed on to the panels. Additional coats are sprayed depending on the finish desired. Finished panels are sent back to the fabricator and panel stiffeners are added if required. Completed panels are packaged and shipped to the jobsite for installation.  

By contrast, the coil-coating process is much simpler. Prefinished aluminum sheets are shipped from Fairview Architectural to the façade panel fabricator. Fabrication involves cutting to size, then routing and folding at the perimeter edges to result in continuous returns. When fabricated, panels are ready to mount onto a corresponding attachment system made of extruded aluminum profiles. Completed panels are packaged and shipped to the jobsite for installation. Using coil-coated Vitraplate® reduces the fabrication time and lowers risk. 

Get in touch with a Fairview Architectural team member today for your next façade project! 

 

Disclaimer

 

 

This article of Architectural Stewardship was sponsored by Fairview Architectural North America. Published here.

 

 

 

References

 

 

¹Vitraplate® Technical Manual. 2020. Fairview Architectural.

 

 

²Aluminum Extrusion Manual, 4th edition. 2014. Aluminum Extruders Council.

 

 

³Davis, J. R. 2001. Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys. Page 351-416. In: Alloying: Understanding the Basics.

 

 

⁴Raabe D., D. Ponge, and others. 2022. Making Sustainable Aluminum by Recycling Scrap: The Science of “Dirty” Alloys. Progress in Materials Science

 

 

⁵Hot-Rolled Aluminum, Environmental Product Declaration. 2014. The Aluminum Association

 

 

⁶Cold-Rolled Aluminum, Environmental Product Declaration. 2014. The Aluminum Association

 

 

⁷Aluminum: The Element of Sustainability. 2011. The Aluminum Association.

 

⁸Sustainability Statement. 2022. Texarkana Aluminum, Inc.

 

⁹LEED Certificate. 2024. Texarkana Aluminum, Inc.

 

 

¹⁰Vitraplate® Technical Manual. 2020. Fairview Architectural.

 

¹¹Iezzi, R. A. 2015. Polyvinylidene Fluoride-Based Coatings Technology. In: ASM Handbook, Volume 5B, Protective Organic Coatings. K. B. Tator (ed.)

¹³Color Design Guide. 2019. Fairview Architectural.
¹²Ehrlich, B. 2014. Cladding: More Than Just a Pretty Façade. Environmental Building News 23(9): 1-10.

 

¹⁴Pilcher, G. R. 2012. Market Analysis Preview: Coil and Extrusion Coatings. In: CoatingsTech. American Coatings Association

 

 

 

 

About the Author: Josh Bowditch

 

 

As a native resident with architectural experience and environmental regard, Josh Bowditch is intent on publishing about sustainability in the architectural and building construction industry locally. From being in the architectural profession, Josh has an understanding of the processes involved. Is it possible to reconcile environmental considerations with development? The word sustainability has various connotations but indeed can be viewed in the context of stewardship.