On 1st July 2013, the world of smoke ventilation, window automation, glazing and facades underwent a significant change as the UK adopted the pan-European Construction Products Regulations (CPR), which makes the CE marking of products a legal requirement.

The new regulation demands that any product that is to be used for smoke ventilation systems, including actuators, windows and vents, must now be CE marked in accordance with the CPR and be tested to the appropriate harmonised European standards (hEN), in this case EN12101-2.

In addition, these products must also comply with the Machinery Directive, which defines common safety standards across Europe for equipment design, manufacture, installation and operation.

To help designers and contractors ensure that their installations are compliant, SE Controls has a range of CE marked products and solutions that are available now. For many years, SE Controls’ expert team has been involved in writing and contributing to the CPR, Machinery Directive and other relevant European Standards using the depth of knowledge and experience that is also available to the company’s clients.

Will Perkins, SE Controls’ Managing Director, explained: “Everyone involved in construction and associated supply chains have a duty to ensure that the industry delivers building stock that is fit for purpose and safe. As smoke ventilation products are ‘life safety critical’, they must work on demand without fail, which is a legal requirement under the Regulatory Reform Order and can result in criminal prosecution if there is a failure in product design, selection, installation and maintenance.”

He added: “The CPR brings these basic requirements into sharper focus so that there should be no excuse for non-compliance. It is down to everyone in the industry to be vigilant and to make sure the basic right to expect safe buildings is not compromised.”