Münster (Germany), 14 May 2012 – Première at the ISO: with ArmaFlex Ultima Armacell presents a completely new ArmaFlex generation. The blue elastomeric foam is the first flexible insulation material to achieve fire class BL--s1, d0. This means that the insulation material has an extremely low smoke density, thus making an important contribution to the overall level of fire safety in buildings. Furthermore, ArmaFlex Ultima meets the re-quirements for sustainable construction, such as the criteria for LEED certification. In order to be able to install the new material reliably, Armacell has developed adhesives specifically for use with ArmaFlex Ultima, including ArmaFlex Ultima SF990 Adhesive, the first solvent- and VOC-free product. ArmaFlex Ultima is patent pending and will be launched on several European markets in autumn.
Low smoke density decisive for the safety of people in a fire
Every year some 600 people die as a result of fires in Germany alone. But only a few of these are killed by the flames, the majority – 95 % of fire fatalities! – die as a consequence of smoke inhalation. In the event of a fire it is vital that escape routes can be found quickly – which is only possible with minimal smoke development. The new European fire classification takes this fact into account and when assessing the fire behaviour of building products not only tests the flammability, but also the smoke density and the production of burning droplets. The new ArmaFlex Ultima is the first flexible insulation material to achieve fire class B-s1, d0 in the European fire test. The insulation material releases only a minimal amount of smoke in a fire and thus makes an important contribution to the safety of people in buildings.
The future belongs to sustainable construction Public, but also commercial and residential buildings are increasingly planned and built on the principle of sustainability. This applies both to the construction of new buildings and the renovation of existing buildings. The Green Building certification is now very important in the real estate business. Buildings which have been certified under LEED, BREEAM or a comparable national scheme, such as the German DGNB, are characterized by high resource efficiency in the areas of energy, water and material and have as little negative impact on health and the environment as possible. The certificate which is best-established internationally is probably the US Green Building Council’s LEED seal of quality (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). Here buildings are assessed according to a catalogue of criteria in six categories. ArmaFlex Ultima, in combination with the solvent-free ArmaFlex Ultima SF990 Adhesive, can contribute to fulfilling the criteria for LEED certification. As is the case with all ArmaFlex insulation materials, ArmaFlex Ultima conserves natural resources and reduces the emission of climate-damaging CO2. Strong adhesives for a sustainable insulation systemFor a sustainable insulation system Armacell has developed a new range of adhesives spe-cifically for use with ArmaFlex Ultima:
- ArmaFlex Ultima SF990 Adhesive: the first solvent- and VOC-free adhesive for install-ing elastomeric insulation materials
- ArmaFlex Ultima RS850 Adhesive: High-performance adhesive with reduced solvent content for clean, non-drip installation
- ArmaFlex Ultima 700 Adhesive: reliable special adhesive for a wide temperature range
The choice of adhesive depends on the requirements of the project in question. ArmaFlex Ultima is available as a complete range of tubes and sheets in standard and self-adhesive versions. In order to provide a reliable insulation system for the sensitive area around the pipe bracket, the ArmaFix pipe support is also offered in the new ArmaFlex Ultima quality. ArmaFlex Ultima was first presented at the ISO ’12, the key European trade fair for insulation technology in Cologne (Germany). It will be available on the German market from autumn onwards.
