SRT Plastics® develops 8 mm solid polycarbonate sheet with unique firecertificate

Recently a megaskylight of a french shopping mall was renovated. The new solid polycarbonate sheets were subjected to very high requirements with respect to firebehaviour. 

SRT Plastics® is – as far as our information reaches – the only supplier in the world to meet these demands and as such deliver an unique European firecertificate CS3D0 (EN13501-1) on 8 mm solid polycarbonate sheet!

Centre Commercial Atlantis St Herblain is a hypermarché in the french city of Nantes. The mall is equipped with a megaskylight of 100m long and 16 m wide providing for natural light in the interior. The two-layered cassette glazing system was installed 15 years ago and did not comply anymore to increased demands in technical and esthetical sense.

High demands: firebehaviour, solar energy transmittance, thermal isolation and lighttransmission

The French main contractor sought to use the expertise of SRT Plastics for developing a material solution for this project. The goal was to work with prefabricated cassettes with 3 layers of solid polycarbonate. The material however, needed to comply to strict french fireregulations, M2 (according to NF.P92-501 & NF.P99-505) or European equivalent. For this project, both firecertificates were realized, so M2 and CS3D0, equivalent to M2 but according to the new European Fireregulations for solid polycarbonate sheet EN13051-1. This firecertificate refers to contribution to fire development, smoke development, and dripping of the material during the fire. Finally, tough demands were put on reaching a low G-value of 34.5% and Ug-value of 1,7 W·m-2·K-1 (EN 410 and EN 673), to arrive at a much improved innerclimate and energy-efficiency of this skylight.  All this while maintaining a overall lighttransmission (ASTM D1003-13) through the cassette of 45%. Each of these items are very important for the architectural and building & construction industry in this age of energy-neutral building.

SRT Plastics accepted the challenge

No other producer of solid polycarbonate sheet material could realize an M2 certificate or European equivalent on EN 13501-1 on solid polycarbonate sheet of 8 mm thickness. Many thought it to be impossible, since tests so far only succeeded until 6 mm thickenss. SRT Plastics accepted the challenge and works very closely with innovative suppliers of raw materials and additives. A lot of time and energy was invested in testing and developing the right materials. Through our perseverance and long term vision we were able to realize a great solution to the mandatory requirements put on firebehaviour, G-value and U-value in this project.


SRT Plastics commissioned various fire tests. This is a photograph of a similar fire test. Source: DGMR.

Single producer in Europe with unique firecertificate

In the summer of 2015 269 cassettes were placed on the shopping mall. The cassettes were build from three layers solid polycarbonate sheet, 8 mm polycarbonate IR absorbent UVP outside, 3 mm polycarbonate clear transparant UVP middle sheet, and 5 mm polycarbonate clear transparant UVP inside, separated from each other by 20 mm spacing profiles. As far as our information reaches, we are the only producer in Europe supplying solid polycarbonate sheet of 8 mm with this unique european firecertificate CS3D0 (EN 13501-1), equivalent M2 (NF.P92-501 & NF.P99-505), which opens up new possibilities for architects & contractors in the building & construction industry. As a result of this prestigious project, we are currently working on new skylights for shopping malls in other cities.

Please contact SRT Plastics

Are you a professional working in building & construction industry as architect, contractor, steelconstructor, skylight builder, dome builder, roofer, projectdeveloper, property owner? And would you like more information on our 8 mm solid polycarbonate sheet with firecertificate CS3D0 (EN 13501-1) or any of our other high quality materials? Or maybe have projects you would like to speak with us about? Please don’t hesitate to contact us!