MAXIMISING QUALITY AND SAFETY WITH AN HOLISTIC APPROACH TO CERTIFICATION

Setting the bar for construction quality, The British Board of Agrément’s (BBA) rigorous certification process allows manufacturers to demonstrate products are fit for purpose, of a high and consistent quality and safe to use.

The BBA’s Agrément Certificate not only certifies the functionality of a standalone product, but also ensures that the way a product is used and the components which are used with it, are suitable for a particular application. This holistic, ‘full system’ approach reassures specifiers and contractors that certified systems will perform as expected when used with their particular project.

Julie Bregulla, Chief Operating Officer (COO) explains, “We offer clients a full systems approach to certification, which ensures standards are maintained throughout the construction process. Products are used in different ways depending upon the application needed. BBA’s Agrément Certification considers the whole system being used, ensuring compatibility of components, offering additional reassurance. Any organisation achieving Agrément certifications for construction products also has to demonstrate that there are robust practices and procedures in place to offer consistency during the manufacturing process. Through this holistic approach, Agrément provides the most rigorous assessment of a product’s fitness-for-purpose.”

Recent certifications awarded include:

· Universal Sealants (UK) Limited Dual Seal Systems, bentonite and polyethylene waterproofing membranes for use in waterproofing and damp-proofing underground reinforced concrete structures. The systems can also contribute to restricting the ingress of methane and carbon dioxide from the ground.

· The AGS System Ltd AGS Rainscreen Cladding Support System is for use as a sub-frame to support cladding on the external or internal walls constructed from reinforced concrete, masonry, steel-frames and timber-frames of new or existing domestic and non-domestic buildings.

· Aliaxis UK Ltd has received certification for its Vulcathene Chemical Waste Drainage System for use in laboratory drainage systems for the collection and disposal of chemical waste in schools, universities and hospitals. Multiple components within the system including pipes, fittings, sinks, drip cups and traps have received certification.

· Another system which gained certification recently is the TT Admix Wykamol Waterproofing System by Wykamol Group Ltd. The product is a crystalline waterproofing admixture powder, for use in concrete mixes to provide watertight concrete. The system is suitable for basements, roofs, swimming pools, tunnels and culverts without the requirement for additional applied protection.

· The Quality Management System operated by Gillicon Group has been certified for the design, manufacture and supply of the Masonry Lock and Load Block System and the supply of all Concrete Precast Products.

· Premcrete Ltd’s Environmental Management System has also received certification for the design, manufacture and supply of construction products.

As the leading certification body for construction products in the UK, the BBA plays a vital role in maintaining high standards of safety across the building supply chain. Its Agrément Certificate’s application-specific approach not only enhances stakeholder confidence but also drives industry advancement, reinforcing the BBA’s position as a trusted authority in certification.