Construction Products - Conformance Testing and CE Marking
We use conformance testing to determine whether a product or system complies with the requirements of recognised national and international standards, specifications, contracts, or regulations. Many construction products require third-party conformance testing in accordance with the Construction Products Regulations (CPR), which enables them to be CE marked in accordance with current legislation. This will often prescribe testing for both material and structural properties and require verification by a laboratory with Notified Body status. Lucideon has a wide range of UKAS-accredited tests leading to an extensive Notified Body status for many concrete products.
When new products are developed, they can fall outside of the scope of current standards; we have the expertise and ability to develop new, customised test programmes to enable the relevant properties to be characterised.
Our conformance testing capabilities:
We carry out testing of the materials that comprise a concrete mix, including cement, aggregates, and sands, as well as testing of precast components that go into infrastructure projects and buildings:
- Testing of full building systems
- Testing of concrete repair products and sealants
- Testing in tension, compression, shear, bending, and fatigue loading
- Testing for durability, thermal performance, acoustic and air tightness
CE Marking
When affixed to a construction product, the CE mark indicates compliance with the relevant EU legislation, therefore enabling unlimited movement within the European Economic Areas (EEA).
As of 01 July 2013, under the Construction Products Regulation (CPR)*, it became mandatory for manufacturers to apply CE marking to any of their construction products covered by a harmonised European standard (hEN) or product specific European Technical Assessment (ETA).
At Lucideon, we are able to test construction products to the relevant standards, thus enabling manufacturers to CE mark their products.
The Assessment and Verification of Constancy of Performance (AVCP)* table below outlines the tasks for each class of product and who is responsible for completing them - a Notified Body or the manufacturer, in order to affix a CE mark. The AVCP levels are set by the European Commission and dependent upon the product and its applications, e.g. a safety critical product will require more work than a product for aesthetic purposes.
Systems of Assessment & Verification of Constancy of Performance:
Lucideon is a Notified Testing Body for the following tests:
- Metal anchors for use in concrete (heavy-duty mechanical fasteners)
- Masonry and related products (in walls and partitions)
- Tiles
- Tension straps
- Joist hangers
- Lintels
- Bed joint reinforcement
- Suspended ceiling kits (internal and external)
- Adhesives for tiles (internal and external)
The full product family, product/intended use, AVCP levels and technical specifications for the list above, can be found here.
Lucideon can provide independent testing for all levels of assessment, but as a Notified Body to AVCP Level 3 according to the schedule. Construction products with an AVCP level of 2+ or 4 do not require testing by a Notified Body or external laboratory. However, external laboratories are employed when a manufacturer is unable to conduct the necessary tests internally.
Lucideon is able to provide the following tests for AVCP 2+ and 4:
- Timber-to -timber connectors
- Timber frames
- Nailing plates
- Metal roof sheets
- Composite roof sheets
- Bar and brackets (spacers)
- Structural flooring: tongue and groove
- Sheathing boards
- Insulation (material dependent)
- Concrete repair mortars/compounds
*As of 01 July 2013, the Construction Products Regulation (CPR) superseded the Construction Products Directive (CPD), and the Assessment and Verification of Constancy of Performance (AVCP) replaced the Attestation of Conformity (AC).
Lucideon, as a Notified Body, does not provide consultancy services for the design, manufacture, assembly or distribution of the construction products listed here, under the CPR.