At Building Enclosure, it’s our goal to provide you with the latest standards and building codes in the industry. I’ve come across a few questions and comments lately on NFPA 285 and felt like it was a good topic to address within our current issue. NFPA 285: Standard Fire Test Method for Evaluation of Fire Propagation Characteristics of Exterior Non-Load-Bearing Wall Assemblies Containing Combustible Components on the National Fire Protection Association’s website is stated as this:
“This standard provides a standardized fire test procedure for evaluating the suitability of exterior, non-load bearing wall assemblies and panels used as components of curtain wall assemblies that are constructed using combustible materials or that incorporate combustible components for installation on buildings where the exterior walls are required to be non-combustible.”