
We attach tremendous importance to the safety and resilience of our solutions. To guarantee that our roofing waterproofing systems and roof garden solutions adhere to the highest standards in quality, technical integrity, and performance, even in the toughest circumstances, we invest in rigorous, thorough testing by FM Approvals.
FM Approvals: 100+ years of expertise in property loss prevention
FM Approvals specialises in third-party testing and certification services. This international leader tests the quality, technical integrity, and performance of commercially used property loss prevention products/services to ensure they meet the highest loss prevention standards. FM Approvals employs a worldwide certification process, backed by extensive, rigorous scientific research and testing, and 100+ years of experience.
Why using FM Approved roofing systems is beneficial for the end-client?
Soprema has an extensive range of FM Approved roofing systems. Whereas building regulations are designed to protect building users, FM Approvals concentrates on property loss prevention, with systems that have the FM Approved certification mark meeting the highest loss protection standards, leading to lower insurance costs. For example, FM Global, a commercial property insurance giant, offers its clients reduced insurance premiums for buildings that are constructed with FM Approved solutions.
The 5-step FM Approvals certification process
To receive the FM Approved certification mark on its product/system, the company must follow FM Approvals’ five-step process, starting with a request, followed by a proposal that we (as the manufacturer) authorise and for which we submit all the requested materials and information. Then testing is conducted, with FM Approvals visiting our manufacturing location. A technical report is then drawn up and a product can carry the FM Approved certification mark and is listed in FM Approvals’ online resource, Approval Guide, whereas an FM Approved roofing assemblies receive a RoofNav number and are entered into RoofNav, FM Approval’ web-based software. Finally, to maintain FM Approved status, our manufacturing facilities are regularly audited by FM Approvals.
FM Approvals system testing process
To achieve the FM Approved certification mark, Soprema’s roofing systems go through a very rigorous testing process in FM Approvals state-of-the-art facilities to verify that they always perform as they should with no/minimal damage to them, even in the most challenging circumstances. For this, they simulate the toughest weather phenomena, subjecting the roofing systems to fire, high speed winds, hailstorms, and UV weathering.
All FM Approved building materials go through extensive fire testing in FM Approvals’ Fire Technology Laboratory where the systems are set on fire in various small, intermediate, and full-scale fire tests to determine whether the systems evaluated can be consumed by fire. FM Approved building materials will prevent the fire from spreading through the building structure.
On top of the fire testing, FM Approved building materials, including roofing systems are tested against wind, hail, and UV weathering in FM Approvals’ Natural Hazards Laboratory, including pressures generated by hurricane-force wind of 175 mph (282 km/h), hailstorms and debris falling generated by hail guns and debris cannons, and hasting the weathering effects using FM Approvals’ powerful xenon arc ultraviolet accelerated weatherometer. All these tests are done to Soprema’s roofing systems to test their strength, determine their impact resistance, and test their long-term resistance and performance.
When it comes to roof systems, the whole roof assembly is tested as one system and when opting for Soprema’s FM Approved roof assembly systems, it must be installed as such, with no mix and match of the systems’ components. The FM Approved certification mark applies to the roof assembly that has been tested as such – not to a combination of products and parts. This means you must apply that very same assembly to ensure that it will perform consistently under the conditions tested by FM Approvals and that it will meet every requirement of the test standard or specification.
Get in touch with our technical team
Interested in using our FM Approved systems for your project? Please do not hesitate to contact our dedicated technical experts.