The Construction Product Regulation

“CPR”
The Construction Products Regulation

Content

• What is the Construction Products Regulation (CPR) ?

• Obligations of the manufacturer
• Declaration of Performances and CE Marking
• Obligations of importers and distributors
• CPR and Cables : What cable ? What characteristics ?
• Classification and AVCP (Assessment & Verification of Consistency of
Performances) systems
• Time Schedule
• GC is getting ready

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The Construction Products Regulation

The CPR prescribes 7 basic requirements for construction

works:
1. Mechanical resistance and stability
2. Safety in case of fire
3. Hygiene, health and the environment
4. Safety and accessibility in use
5. Protection against noise
6. Energy economy and heat retention
7. Sustainable use of natural resources

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The Construction Products Regulation
The § 2 describes the safety in case of fire :

The construction works must be designed and built in such a way that in
the event of an outbreak of fire:

a) The load-bearing capacity of the construction can be

assumed by for a specific period of time
b) The generation and spread of fire and smoke within the
construction are limited
c) The spread of fire to neighbouring construction works is
limited
d) Occupants can leave the construction works or be rescued
by other means
e) The safety of rescue teams is taken into consideration

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The Purpose of the CPR

Based on these 7 basic requirement, the purpose

of the CPR is :
TO ENSURE the free circulation of construction
products for buildings and civil engineering works
inside European countries.

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The Objective of CPR
Is TO PROVIDE a COMMON HARMONIZED LANGUAGE as a Tool Box
and to DEFINE:
• A System of classification of performances, “EUROCLASSES”, with the associated
testing methods,
• A system of Assessment & Verification of Consistency of Performances (AVCP)
• Mandatory detailed information to be given with the CE marking

These rules are defined in harmonized technical specifications (product standards)

which are to be applied in all Member States by the regulatory authorities and the
economic operators (manufacturers, distributors, contractors, users)

This is different from the usual voluntary EN standards.

The CPR does not define requirements on the level of performance.
This is the responsibility of each Member State

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The Manufacturer Obligations

When placing on the market a product covered by an harmonized technical

specification under the CPR, the manufacturer has to :

DRAW UP a Declaration of Performance (DoP), according to a standardized

template.
The DoP may be made available by downloading from a Website, but shall be
provided in paper form upon request from the customer.
IMPLEMENT the relevant system of AVCP (certification), involving a Third Party
Notified Body (NB)
ESTABLISH AND KEEP (10 years) the supporting technical documentation
AFFIX the CE Marking which consists not only of the CE logo but also detailed
accompanying information relating to the manufacturer, the product and the
AVCP system

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The CPR Declaration of Performance
and CE Marking
The CE marking is not a quality mark.

It is affixed whatever the level of the declared performances, even the lowest
ones. By affixing the CE marking, the manufacturer takes the responsibility for
the conformity of the product with the performances declared in the DoP.

For the essential characteristics covered by the harmonized technical

specification, only the performances declared on the DoP can be used in the
technical or commercial documentations. No other or additional characteristic can
be claimed.
The CE marking and any (voluntary) Quality Mark
covering the same characteristics cannot co-exist.

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The Importers and Distributors Obligations

Importers and distributors :

• SHALL ENSURE that the product bears the CE marking and that the DoP
and associated information about the product and its manufacturer are
available. Thus, they have to supply to their customers the products
bearing the CE marking including the information given in the original labels
from the manufacturer.
• ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE for the truth of the DoP.

When an importer or a distributor

places a product on the market under
his name or his trademark, he
becomes subject to the obligations
of a manufacturer.

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The CPR and Cables : Characteristics?

All cables intended to be used in construction works are involved :

– POWER AND CONTROL, whatever the voltage
– COMMUNICATION, copper and optical
The characteristics concerned are the Reaction to Fire and (in the future)
Resistance to Fire.

For LV and copper communication cables, the CE marking will cover

conformity to both: the CPR (for fire performance) and the LVD (for other
characteristics).
Cables for applications other than construction works (e.g. rolling stock, OGP,
ships…) or for export outside the EU are not covered by the CPR.

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The CPR : Reaction to fire
Classification and AVCP

The harmonized product standard for cables EN 50575 and its associated
test standards define:

• 7 classes of Reaction to Fire (« Euroclasses »)

The main classification is based on fire spread and heat release.
For the upper classes, additional criteria apply to smoke density,
acidity of effluents and flaming droplets.

• 2 AVCP systems, depending on the Euroclasses

System 1+, including a continuous surveillance by a Notified Body
(similar to HAR, NF or AENOR Quality Marks)
System 3, consisting only in initial type tests by a Notified Laboratory

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The CPR : Reaction to fire
Classification and AVCP
AVCP system
Classification Additional (Assessment and Verification of
Euroclass
criteria criteria Consistency of Performance)

"Non combustible" EN ISO 1716

(e.g. mineral insulated)
Aca Gross heat of combustion "1+", including:
• initial type-testing and
B1ca continuous surveillance,
Smoke production • Audit & testing of samples
(s1a, s1b, s2, s3) by 3rd party certification body
B2ca EN50399/EN61034-2
EN 50399
Heat release Factory production control
Severity

"Low-Fire-Hazard" Acidity
Flame spread by manufacturer
cables Cca (a1, a2, a3)
(various levels) EN 50267-2-3
EN 60332-1-2
Flame propagation Flaming droplets
Dca "3" , including
(d0, d1, d2)
EN 50399 • initial type-testing
by 3rd party laboratory
EN 60332-1-2
"Standard Flame propagation factory production control
Eca
cables" by manufacturer

EN 60332-1-2 "4" : initial type-testing and

No performance Flame propagation factory production control
Fca by manufacturer
determined

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 The CPR : Reaction to fire
Classification and AVCP
Classification
Class Test method Additional Criteria Classification parameters:
criteria
Aca EN ISO 1716 PCS ≤ 2,0 MJ/kg PCS: Gross Heat of Combustion
FS ≤ 1,75 m
EN 50399 Smoke production (s) FS: Flame Spread (test EN 50399)
THR1200s ≤ 10 MJ
30 kW Burner Flaming droplets (d)
B1ca HRR máx. ≤ 20 kW
Special assembly Acidity (a)
FIGRA ≤ 120 W/s THR1200s: Total Heat Release
EN 60332-1-2 H ≤ 425 mm
Peak HRR: Peak of Heat Release Rate
FS ≤ 1,5 m
Smoke production (s)
EN 50399 THR1200s ≤ 15 MJ FIGRA: Fire Growth Rate Index
Flaming droplets (d)
B2ca 20,5 kW Burner HRR máx. ≤ 30 kW
Acidity (a)
FIGRA ≤ 150 W/s H: Flame Spread (test EN 60332-1-2)
EN 60332-1-2 H ≤ 425 mm
FS ≤ 2,0 m Smoke production (s)
EN 50399 THR1200s ≤ 30 MJ Flaming droplets (d)
Cca 20,5 kW Burner HRR máx. ≤ 60 kW Acidity (a)
FIGRA ≤ 300 W/s
EN 60332-1-2 H ≤ 425 mm
THR1200s ≤ 70 MJ Smoke production (s)
EN 50399
HRR máx. ≤ 400 kW Flaming droplets (d)
Dca 20,5 kW Burner
FIGRA ≤ 1300 W/s Acidity (a)
EN 60332-1-2 H ≤ 425 mm
Eca EN 60332-1-2 H ≤ 425 mm
Fca EN 60332-1-2 H > 425 mm
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Adaptation of National Regulations :
Standards and Quality Marks
Before the end of the co-existence period
• The national regulations should be modified to express their
reaction to fire requirements according to the Euroclasses
• The European and National standards should be amended
to indicate that the « old » fire tests (IEC, Cenelec or
National) are no longer applicable to cables intended to be
used in construction works in Europe
• The rules of the Quality Marks (HAR, AENOR, VDE, BSI, NF-
USE) should be revised to exclude the reaction to fire
performance from their scope of certification

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Adaptation of National Regulations
A general trend for future regulation or de-facto practices seems
to be (with varying levels for smoke, acidity and droplets):

‒ Euroclass B2ca s1a d1 a1 for areas with very high fire risks,
typically underground railways

‒ Euroclass Cca s1 d1 a1 for areas with high fire risks, such as

public buildings, high rises, escape routes

‒ Euroclass Eca for areas with medium or low fire risks, such
as residential or standard industrial premises

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Adaptation of National Regulations
In addition to the general trend :

‒ Some countries, especially in Scandinavia, consider

Euroclass Dca for areas with medium or high fire risks

‒ Euroclass Dca is also considered in some countries to

favour the use of LSOH cables with not high fire retardancy
performance, e.g. U-UTP data cables

‒ It should be noted that class Dca does not require a

surveillance by a third party body, compared with class Eca

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CE Marking

TBD after July 1st 2016

The harmonized product

GENERAL CABLE EUROPE
standard, EN 50575, CASANOVA, 150
08036 BARCELONA – SPAIN
states that the CE
Marking must be affixed DoP Nr 18745
not on the cable itself but
on a label attached to the lEC 50575 : 2013

drums, boxes or coils. EXZHELLENT XXI

Power cable for the supply of electricity, in

buildings and other civil engineering works and
subject to performance requirements on
reaction to fire.

Reaction to Fire : Cca s1, d1, a1

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CPR : Reaction to fire – Time schedule

The time schedule of application of the

harmonized product standard (EN 50575)
and of the implementation of the CPR
(issuing DoP and affixing CE Marking) is :

• Date of applicability : 10/06/2016

The manufacturers can start to issue DoP
and affix the CE Marking if they wish.

• End of Coexistence period : 01/07/2017

The manufacturers must issue DoP and affix the CE Marking.
The regulators and customers must express their requirements for reaction to fire
only according to the Euroclasses.

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CPR : GC is getting ready
Actions under way
• TECHNICAL
‒ Assessing the performance of existing GC products,
targeting selected levels of performance,
and adapting cables where necessary.
‒ Planning and organizing the certification
campaign with the future Notified Bodies.

• INDUSTRIAL
– Implementation in the production, control and logistics processes.

• COMMERCIAL
‒ Improving continuously our knowledge of the trends toward future
regulations and customers requirements.
‒ Delivering the information to the market.

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