What is BS EN 13497 about?
BS EN 13497 specifies the equipment and procedure for determining the resistance to impact of design ETICS kits with renders. ETICS is a compact multilayer insulation system designed to improve the energy efficiency of both new and existing buildings.
Who is BS EN 13497 for?
BS EN 13497 on thermal insulation products is useful for:
- Manufacturers of thermal insulators
- Suppliers and manufacturers of raw materials required for thermal insulation
- Personnel from the construction domain
Why should you use BS EN 13497?
Impact resistance is an important consideration for fall protection equipment. When a worker falls, their body harness, lifeline and anchor are all subjected to a high impact. Unless these materials can all withstand the force of the impact, the equipment will not keep the falling worker safe.
The impact resistance of a design ETICS kit is the hard body impact resistance, determined by means of a steel ball falling onto the surface of the kit to assess any damages occurring and measure cracks widths in the materials for buildings.
BS EN 13497 specifies the test procedure and gives measurement on the thickness of the thermal insulation product used for the test specimen.
BS EN 13497 helps you keep track of energy levels and the height of a steel ball dropping onto the surface of a test specimen, as well as how to use a crack width measuring gauge and suitable magnification for clarity of thermal insulators used for building purposes.
Overall, BS EN 13497 enables you to determine the resistance of a design ETICS kit, which will help you improve the operational and energy efficiency of buildings and deliver high-quality services.
What’s changed since the last update?
BS EN 13497:2018+A1:2021 supersedes EN 13497:2018. BS EN 13497:2018+A1:2021 includes some technical changes with respect to EN 13497:2018. These include:
- 13 impact energy levels with five different balls possible. Matches ETAG 004 levels. No 2 J impact energy level anymore
- More precise description of conditioning of the test specimens
- A detailed description of the test procedure, examination and expression of results
- Introduction of hard facts for evaluation, which is the measurement of crack widths.
- Evaluation of cracks well defined