The Core Is the Whole Decision
Every aluminium composite panel is two thin aluminium skins bonded either side of a core. The skins are nearly identical from panel to panel. The core is what decides how the façade behaves in a fire — and there are three of them. This is the single most important thing to understand before you specify, buy or sign off on an ACP façade in Ghana. Alucobond Ghana has specified aluminium-composite façades since 1977, and our position is simple: we name the core, we name its fire class, and we hand over the evidence.
The Three Cores
PE (Polyethylene) — Combustible
A core that is essentially 100% polyethylene plastic. It is light and inexpensive to produce, and it is combustible — this is the core type involved in the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire in London, where a PE-core ACM façade contributed to rapid vertical fire spread and 72 deaths. A PE core is not appropriate for façades on tall or occupied buildings. Where it turns up, it is usually because it was the lowest-priced panel and the core was never disclosed.
FR (Fire-Retardant) — Reduced Combustibility
A core with roughly 70% mineral filler blended into the polymer, which substantially reduces how readily it burns. FR is typically specified where a B-class reaction-to-fire is acceptable for the building — mid-rise commercial work where the height and occupancy do not demand full non-combustibility.
A2 (Mineral-Filled) — Limited Combustibility
A core with over 90% mineral filler — the closest an ACP gets to non-combustible. It is classified A2-s1,d0 under EN 13501-1: limited combustibility (A2), limited smoke (s1), and no flaming droplets (d0). This is the highest fire rating an ACP achieves, and the correct specification for high-rise, hospitals and institutional buildings.
How the Cores Compare
| Core | Composition | Fire behaviour | EN 13501-1 (typical) | Specify for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PE | ~100% polyethylene | Combustible (Grenfell core) | Fails A2 | Not for tall/occupied façades |
| FR | ~70% mineral filler | Fire-retardant | B-s1,d0 (typ.) | Mid-rise where B-class permitted |
| A2 | >90% mineral filler | Limited combustibility | A2-s1,d0 | High-rise, hospitals, institutional |
Classifications are typical; the actual class is per the specific panel’s certification, which we provide in writing.
The Standards That Actually Apply
Fire performance of a façade is not one number — it is measured two ways: the panel on its own (reaction-to-fire), and the whole system as built (full-scale test).
Reaction-to-Fire of the Panel — EN 13501-1
EN 13501-1 is the European reaction-to-fire classification: Euroclasses A1, A2, B, C, D… where A1/A2 are the least combustible. Two sub-classes follow the letter — s for smoke production (s1 = least) and d for flaming droplets (d0 = none). A2-s1,d0 is the target for a non-combustible ACP core. Panel surface-burning behaviour is also tested in the US by ASTM E84 (the Steiner tunnel test, giving Flame Spread and Smoke Developed indices).
Performance of the Panel Assembly — ASTM E283, E330, E331
Beyond fire, a façade panel and its fixings are tested for air infiltration (ASTM E283), structural/wind load (ASTM E330) and water penetration (ASTM E331) — the standards that confirm the panel system stays on the wall and keeps weather out.
Whole-System Fire — BS 8414 + BR 135, and NFPA 285
The most important post-Grenfell lesson is that the panel passing on its own is not enough — the whole façade system, including cavity, insulation and fixings, has to be tested as built:
- BS 8414 is a full-scale façade fire test, run against the BR 135 pass/fail criteria. After Grenfell, BS 8414 testing confirmed that unmodified PE-core ACM fails and mineral-filled (A2) ACM passes.
- NFPA 285 is the equivalent US full-scale test for exterior walls containing combustible components.
Façade Sub-Frame — EN 1090
The aluminium sub-frame that carries the panels is itself an engineered structural element, executed to EN 1090 (execution of steel and aluminium structures). A non-combustible panel on a poorly engineered frame is not a fire-safe façade.
How to Specify A2-s1,d0 — Step by Step
- Establish the fire requirement. Building height, use and occupancy decide the reaction-to-fire class the façade must meet. Specify the core to that requirement — not to the lowest price.
- Name the core in writing. Write “A2-s1,d0 to EN 13501-1” into the specification, alongside the coating (PVDF/PE/FEVE). What is installed must match what was approved.
- Engineer the system, not just the panel. Sub-frame, cavity, fire barriers / cavity stops and fixings are engineered as one system.
- Demand the evidence at handover. The panel data sheet and the EN 13501-1 classification must be handed over so the owner can prove what is on the wall.
We work through exactly this on the Fire-Rated ACP Cladding service page.
The Duty of Care After Grenfell
Grenfell turned façade fire safety from a technical footnote into a duty of care owed to everyone in the building. The lesson is not “ACP is dangerous” — it is “an undisclosed PE core is dangerous.” A building owner who specifies an A2 core, documents its Euroclass and keeps the paper trail has met that duty. A contractor who quotes “ACP” with no core named has not. The honest market position is to name the core, every time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between PE, FR and A2 ACP?
PE is a combustible polyethylene core (the Grenfell material), not appropriate for tall or occupied façades. FR has ~70% mineral filler and is fire-retardant (typically B-class). A2 has >90% mineral filler and is classified A2-s1,d0 — limited combustibility, the highest ACP rating, for high-rise, hospitals and institutional buildings.
What does A2-s1,d0 mean?
It is an EN 13501-1 Euroclass: A2 = limited combustibility, s1 = limited smoke, d0 = no flaming droplets. It is the highest reaction-to-fire class an aluminium composite panel achieves and the target specification for fire-critical buildings.
Which fire standards apply to a façade in Ghana?
The panel’s reaction-to-fire is classified to EN 13501-1 (and tested by methods like ASTM E84). The whole façade system can be assessed by BS 8414 against the BR 135 criteria, or NFPA 285. We specify and document against the standard relevant to the project and never claim a rating a panel does not hold.
How do I prove what core is on my building?
Ask for the panel data sheet and the EN 13501-1 classification in writing before work starts, and keep them at handover. That paperwork is the only reliable proof of what is on the wall.
Specify the core, not just the colour. Alucobond Ghana names the core, documents the Euroclass and hands over the evidence. Call +233 27 000 0844 for a fire-safe façade specification across Greater Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi and Lomé, Togo.