The Nordic countries Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden cooperate within the framework of the Nordic Council in order to include harmonisation of national law while defining a overall classification of material.
Table 1: Nordic council classification
| Component | Fire test method | Description | Classification | | Material | NT 001 | Non-combustibility test | Non-combustible/ combustible | | Wall and ceiling lining | NT 003 | Fire protection ability of coverings | K0 / K1 / K2 | | Interior surface finishes | NT 002 | Ignitability test | ln 1 / ln 2 / ln 3 | | Exterior surface finishes | NT 004 | Heat release and smoke generation test | Ut 1 / Ut 2 | | Roofing | NT 006 | Roof fire spread | Ta 1 / Ta 2 | | Floor coverings | NT 007 | Flooring fire spread and smoke generation | G |
The actual classification used for Finland regulations for the fire behaviour of materials/component is described in the standard National Building Code of Finland, Part E1, Fire Safety of Buildings, 1997. 3 fire classes of building are considered (see tables below):
Table 2: building class tests for all materials excepted floorings
| Characteristic | Test | Assessment | | Non combustibility | ISO 1182: Fire test for building materials: Reaction to fire, Non-combustibility test | | | Ignitability | SFS 4190:E (NT FIRE 002) Fire tests. Building products: Ignitability
ISO 5657 (NT FIRE 033) Fire tests-Reaction to fire.Ignitability of building products. | Class 1:non-igniting surface
Class 2: slowly igniting surface | | Fire spread characteristics | SFS 4192:E (NT FIRE 004) Fire tests. Building products: Heat release and smoke production | Class I: non-fire spreading surface
Class II: slowly fire spreading surface |
Table 3: Fire class and use of the building
| | Fire class of the building | | | High fire level requirement | Medium fire level requirement | Low fire level requirement | Dwellings:
Walls and ceilings | 2 / -
Slowly igniting surface, No demands for fire spread | 1 / I
Non igniting surface, Non-fire spreading surface | 2 / -
Slowly igniting surface, No demands for fire spread | Accommodation:
Walls and ceilings | 2 / -
Slowly igniting surface, No demands for fire spread | 1 / I
Non igniting surface, Non-fire spreading surface | 2 / -
Slowly igniting surface, No demands for fire spread | | External surfaces of External wall | 1 / I
Non igniting surface, Non-fire spreading surface | 1 / I
Non igniting surface, Non-fire spreading surface | 2 / -
Slowly igniting surface, No demands for fire spread | | Surfaces adjacent to Ventilation gaps | 1 / I
Non igniting surface, Non-fire spreading surface | 1 / I
Non igniting surface, Non-fire spreading surface | - / -
No requirement |
In residential or office buildings of class P1 with not more than 4 storeys, residential or office buildings of class P2 with 3-4 storeys and institutional buildings of class P2, materials of class 2/- may be used for the external surfaces of external walls if:- The building is provided with an automatic extinguishing system
- The spread of fire along the surface of the external wall and the ventilation gaps has been limited by partitioning elements and
- The hazard of external ignition has been taken into consideration.
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