Aluminium Fire Windows

Fire ratings available in aluminium: Ei15 to Ei120

Aluminium fire windows are supplied as a certified system comprising of glass and frame and are classified according to their Fire Resistance Level as required by Australian Standards and the National Construction Code (NCC) of Australia. Fire Resistance Levels, or FRL’s for short, are a series of numbers that designate the ability of a certified product to resist the spread of fire. For example, a typical fire-rated wall may have a fire-resistance level of 120/120/120, and a typical insulated fire window may have an FRL of -/120/120.

But what do these three numbers actually mean?
Structural adequacy- The first number simply refers to how long the product can withstand the spread of fire and still support what it is designed to support. Doors and windows are not structural items, and therefore are not tested for this aspect of fire resistance, and will usually be represented with a “-“ in the first position. The NCC states that "If a non-load bearing element is able to be used for a purpose where the Deemed-to-Satisfy Provisions prescribe an FRL for structural adequacy, integrity, and insulation, that non-loadbearing element need not comply with the structural adequacy criteria" (NCC Spec A2.3,6). I.E., items that are non-structural such as doors and windows, can be used in walls that require structural adequacy.
Integrity- The second number refers to the ability to prevent the spread of flames. There are requirements under the Australian Standards as to the pass and fail criteria.
Insulation - The final number refers to the length of time that the product can prevent the spread of fire due to heat transfer. Special requirements include the ability to prevent a localized temperature increase of more than 180 degrees C or an average temperature increase of 140 degrees C for the duration of the test.