The thermal insulation system, also called ETICS System or more precisely "External Thermal Insulation Composite System" is the most used solution in Europe for energy saving and thermal insulation, and in some cases acoustic, for new and existing buildings.
Energy efficiency of buildings
Over the last three decades, greenhouse gas emissions, responsible for global warming, have increased by 60%. While 40% of the energy consumption of the European community is generated by the residential and tertiary industry, of which 2/3 is intended for the air conditioning of buildings.
Just in recent months, the theme of "the expensive price of energy" has become the order of the day with continuous price increases, making the current and future situation not rosy. For more than 40 years, IVAS has been manufacturing insulation systems and promoting the energy saving culture through its own Termok8 line. A company division that offers a wide range of products with technical characteristics suitable to meet the most varied building and housing needs.
ETA certification, what is it?
An external thermal insulation system to be effective, must first of all have a certificate ETA (European Technical Assessment), which guarantees the suitability, effectiveness and durability. It is a technical document that contains the performance of the product; in fact, the system is tested inside a climatic chamber and subjected to cycles that simulate an aging of 25 years and evaluate its resistance to different climatic conditions.
The European Construction Materials Directive also specifies the characteristics of the ETICS System to be tested at this test stage, namely:
- mechanical strenght;
- fire resistance;
- environmental hygiene and health;
- sound insulatiion;
- energy saving;
- thermal insulation;
The tests analyse both the performance of the entire ETICS system and of the individual components:
- insulation materials;
- dowels;
- profiles;
- bonding agents;
- finishes;
- armour;
The certification is valid in all member states and in the European Economic Area. Since April 2021 the ETA certification has been issued on the basis of the legal reference "EAD 040083-00-0404" and no longer "ETAG 004". We emphasize that all the Thermal insulation systems already previously certified and obtained from ETAG 004 are however up to standard and therefore usable.
Source photo: Cortexa - National reference for the culture of external thermal isolation system.
Certification of Conformity and CE Marking?
Once issued the ETA certification, the manufacturer must obtain the Certificate of Conformity (FPC) of the Thermal Coat System to its ETA. It may seem a little pointless, but in the construction world safety is never enough. So the manufacturer is required to ensure the compliance of the product over time.
The last step to be in order is the preparation by the manufacturer of the CE marking for the thermal coat, or the printing of labels with CE symbol to be affixed to the product.
Source photo: Cortexa - IVAS is one of the founder.
Why is it essential to verify the guarantees?
The effectiveness and quality of the ETICS Systems depend on a multiplicity of factors, including: the selection of materials, a precise and well detailed design, a state-of-the-art thermal system installation. It is therefore easy to come across high quality products that if designed and laid poorly, will not guarantee significant performance. For this reason it is necessary to choose Thermal Insulation Systems to Coat provided and certified as KIT, making use of expert designers and specialized installers.
The IVAS Academy (1° in Italy to obtain the UNI EN ISO 9001 certification in the sector) provides specialized courses for applicators who want to acquire the basic technical skills necessary for the implementation of thermal insulation systems, according to the technical report UNI/TR 11716. Want to know more? Click here.
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