CE Complaint Membranes

All DuPont Membranes Carry the CE Marking

DuPont is one of the first companies to offer construction membranes that comply with the European Standards under the Declaration of Conformity that took effect on July 1st 2013 for the application of underlays.

A Comprehensive Standard

These European Standards govern key criteria such as quality, performance, sustainability and energy efficiency, and are very important when choosing building envelope breather membranes and vapour control layers.

All DuPont membranes, including Tyvek® and AirGuard®, carry the CE marking that is a legal requirement across Europe as of July 1st 2013 (it was voluntary before that date in the UK, Ireland and Sweden). CE stands for “Conformité Européenne”, or “European Conformity”. The following FAQs will help you to better understand the requirements and regulations – and the DuPont strategy for meeting them before they even take effect. 

What is CPR and How Has It Changed?

Although the Construction Product Regulation (305/2011/EU) was already in force, it only fully replaced the CPD 89/106/EC on July 1st 2013. Compared to all other member states in which the CE mark is currently mandatory, under the CPD, the application of the CE mark in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Sweden had previously been voluntary. Under the CPR it is mandatory in each member state for products to carry the CE mark before they can be offered to the market – and this applies notwithstanding the obligation that each member state needs to first adopt the CPR into national legislation. The key practical importance is that within the CPR, manufacturers of construction products must draft a Declaration of Performance (DoP).

What Are the Different Responsibilities for the Implementation of CE Marking?

According to the product standard, the attestation system of conformity 3 is applicable for underlays and for plastic and rubber vapour control layers. Every new product and every change to an existing product will need to pass an Initial Type Test at an independent notified test laboratory. The FPC (Factory Production Control plan) and the Declaration of Conformity (DoC as it is under the CPD) which will become the Declaration of Performance (DoP once the CPR has replaced the CPD) are to be handled by the manufacturer or his agent. Market surveillance is the responsibility of public authorities, armed with the necessary legal powers, in each member state.

Can Products Bear Additional Markings and Marks?

Yes, provided these:

• Fulfill a different function from that of the CE marking
• Are not liable to cause confusion with it
• Do not reduce its legibility and visibility

Did CE Marked DuPont Products Change When DuPont Moved from DoC to DoP?

No. For the change from DoC to DoP there was no change in product performance criteria for DuPont products. In fact, since implementing the CE mark for our products at the end of 2004 to mid 2005, DuPont has adapted its quality system to the required test standards within the corresponding product standards. When doing so, our customers may have noticed a different presentation of product performance criteria, but as the production parameters have not been changed, the products themselves have not changed.

How Are the Properties Presented?

In the product standards, it is established whether an MDV (Manufacturer Declared Value) or an MLV (Manufacturer Limiting Value) must be shown. In the case of the MDV, the statistical mean value is to be used. The declared tolerances should be at least within 95% confidence levels based on single measured values. For the MLV, it is clear that this means the absolute limit, either as a maximum or as a minimum value.

Have the Specifications (National Requirements) Changed in My Country?

Yes. Each country had the obligation to replace all conflicting national standards with the new European standards. Linked to this, national requirements should have automatically adopted these new European standards by July 1st 2013.

What is the Time Frame for CE Marking and for National Implementation?

CE marking is now obligatory for free trading within the CEN member states, so no product should be produced for the European Market without CE marking. As for the UK, Ireland and Sweden, under the CPD the CE mark was voluntary and it was still possible to sell construction products without a CE mark until July 1st 2013 when the CPR replaced the CPD.

What Was the DuPont Implementation Strategy for the New DoP?

All DuPont underlay products already carried the CE mark prior to the new DoP. For each product, the DoC already existed and was directly linked to this, with a Technical Data Sheet as an accompanying document. Even before the replacement of the CPD by the CPR (July 1st 2013), DuPont was in full compliance with all EU member states legislation.

Why Does DuPont Publish Ageing Values on CE Technical Data Sheets?

DuPont offers transparency for our customers by publishing information that shows the performance of breather membranes, not just as new but also after being exposed to heat and UV.

Since 2010, the CEN/TC254 has been working on an improved and more realistic ageing procedure of underlays (EN13859-1&2) to demonstrate the functionality of a product over time. This work was initiated via a resolution based on some EU member states reporting quality problems of other underlays on the market only a few years after installation. DuPont always has, and will continue to, publish the ageing performance of its products on the Technical Data Sheets.