Practice Note for Authorized Persons,
Buildings Department Registered Structural Engineers and APP-118
Registered Geotechnical Engineers
Testing of Building Materials
Authorized Persons (APs), Registered Structural Engineers (RSEs) and
Registered Geotechnical Engineers (RGEs) may be approached from time to time for
advice on the acceptability of building materials/products. This practice note sets out
the Building Authority’s position which may be of assistance to APs, RSEs and RGEs
in preparing advice to manufacturers, suppliers, registered general building contractors,
registered specialist contractors, registered minor works contractors and building
owners.
2. Under the Buildings Ordinance (BO), APs, RSEs, RGEs and registered
contractors (RCs) have responsibilities to supervise building works including the
selection and application of building materials/products and to certify compliance with
relevant provisions of the BO upon completion of works. In this connection, it should
be noted that the BO contains no provision whereby the Building Authority (BA) may
issue a certificate, a test or assessment report with respect to these materials/products.
The BA takes the position, therefore, of relying on APs, RSEs, RGEs and independent
laboratories for testing for compliance with standards and for certification. For
certification of the building materials/products used and their compliance with standards,
upon completion of works, please refer to PNAP APP-13.
3. The BA will recognize those laboratories accredited by the Hong Kong
Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (HOKLAS) or by other laboratory accreditation
bodies which have reached mutual recognition arrangements (MRA) with HOKLAS.
You should ensure that the tests conducted by an accredited laboratory are within its
scope of accreditation. You may find such accredited laboratories at the web site of
HOKLAS or the MRA partners of HOKLAS:
- http://www.itc.gov.hk/en/quality/hkas/hoklas/laboratory_no.htm
- http://www.itc.gov.hk/en/quality/hkas/hoklas/agreement.htm
4. The following list of materials/products, which is not exhaustive, would
normally be required to be tested by accredited laboratories as mentioned in
paragraph 3:
(a) Concrete cube and core;
(b) Steel reinforcement
(c) Reinforcement splices/couplers;
(d) Curtain wall systems; and
(e) Fire rated products/materials/construction components.
/Fire …..
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Fire Rated Products/Materials/Construction Components
5. Fire rated products/materials/construction components such as
compartment walls, protective cover to structural steel, fire rated doors and other
building materials for use in fire resisting construction should comply with the
performance standards as laid down in the Building (Construction) Regulation 90 by
making reference to the Code of Practice for Fire Safety in Buildings 2011 issued by the
BA (the “FS Code”).
6. The fire properties of products, materials or construction components
should be tested in accordance with the standards stipulated in the FS Code, or, assessed
against such standards based on relevant test reports. The APs, RSEs or RGEs are
required to ensure that the test and assessment reports (if applicable) are prepared in
accordance with Clauses E16.1 and E16.2 of the FS Code. Reports with validity
periods expired will not be accepted.
7. You may find the certification bodies, as recognized by the BA under
Clauses E16.1 of the FS Code, at the web site of the Hong Kong Certification Body
Accreditation Scheme (HKCAS) or the partners of HKCAS under the multilateral
recognition arrangements:
- http://www.itc.gov.hk/en/quality/hkas/hkcas/cb_no.htm
- http://www.itc.gov.hk/en/quality/hkas/hkcas/agreement.htm
( AU Choi-kai )
Building Authority
Ref. : BD GR/BM/5(2)(II) & GR/1-10/461
This PNAP is previously known as PNAP 251
First issue October 2001
This revision May 2012 (AD/CS) – (General revision)
