The Extract Issue 1 - Spring 2026 - Newspaper - Page 5
ISSUE 01 | SPRING 2026
y S1000 low leakage classi昀椀cation
con昀椀rms that the SLD has been
tested and classi昀椀ed to meet these
expectations.”
y C10,000 operational reliability
y Bidirectional 昀椀re exposure (i↔o)
These are the performance benchmarks
speci昀椀ers and regulators should now
demand as standard.
A clear message to the industry:
Know what to look for
It’s important to recognise that not all
dampers on the market are currently able
to demonstrate compliance with these
requirements.
If you are reviewing products for Gateway
submissions, technical documentation or
compliance checks, these are the
classi昀椀cations you should be actively
looking for:
y EI classi昀椀cation (e.g. EI120) – not just
“昀椀re rated”
Steve Knight, Technical Director
at Sertus, said:
“The key change is that dampers
must now demonstrate performance
across several classi昀椀cations,
including 昀椀re resistance, leakage and
operational durability. Achieving
EI120, S1000 and C10,000 – while
also proving performance from
both 昀椀re directions – is technically
demanding. Our updated certi昀椀cation
the product is unlikely to meet the intent
of BS 9991:2024.
Con昀椀dence for Speci昀椀ers, Contractors
and Building Owners
Richard White, Commercial Director at
Sertus, said:
“The update to BS 9991 is a signi昀椀cant
moment for the smoke control sector.
For the 昀椀rst time the standard clearly
sets out how smoke control dampers
should perform within a system. Our
updated certi昀椀cation shows that the
Sertus SLD fully aligns with these
requirements, giving consultants
and contractors con昀椀dence they are
specifying a solution that meets the
intent of the new guidance.”
y Smoke leakage (minimum S1000)
y Reliability classi昀椀cation (C10,000
cycles)
y Bidirectional 昀椀re testing (i↔o)
y Tested to BS EN 12101-8 and
BS EN 1366-10
If a manufacturer cannot clearly
demonstrate all of the above with test
evidence and classi昀椀cation reports, then
For installers and contractors, the bene昀椀t
is straightforward: a clearly tested,
fully classi昀椀ed solution that simpli昀椀es
compliance.
For building owners and asset managers,
it delivers something even more
important - con昀椀dence that both new
and existing installations are aligned with
current 昀椀re safety expectations.
Hot off the Vent!
INDUSTRY NEWS YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED
BS 9991:2024 – Updated 昀椀re safety
design standard
Fire safety (England) regulations:
What responsible persons must do
The revised BS 9991:2024 code of practice introduces
updated guidance for 昀椀re safety in residential buildings,
including changes around evacuation strategies,
sprinklers and building design considerations.
Government guidance outlines the duties of building
owners and managers to maintain 昀椀re safety systems,
including communication with residents and ongoing
system maintenance.
Find out more
Read the guidance
New duties under the Building Safety Act
The Act introduces new responsibilities for
clients, designers and contractors, strengthening
accountability for building safety across the design
and construction process.
Read the guidance
Approved Document B – Fire safety
guidance
Approved Document B remains the key guidance
supporting compliance with Building Regulations
昀椀re safety requirements in England.
View the document
Building Safety Regulator:
Gateway process explained
MMC growth in UK construction
Under the Building Safety Act, higher-risk buildings
must now pass the Building Safety Regulator’s
Gateway process before construction and occupation.
Off-site manufacturing and modular construction
methods are increasingly being adopted as the sector
looks to improve productivity and delivery speed across
new developments.
Learn more
Read more
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