Testing, Inspection, and Certification ...

Material testing is of long-standing tradition in the LGA and has, for the last so many decades, become increasingly important. The Materials Testing Institute, as part of the construction division of the LGA, was founded in 1909. Today it is mainly the LGA Bautechnik GmbH (Ltd.) that carries out and develops the services related to testing, inspection and certification. Our house efficiently and competently tests the quality of materials and products, inspects the production, and certifies construction products and types either within the frame of legal regulations or on a voluntary i.e. non-regulated basis.

Legal regulation extends to construction products and types (construction methods) which require Conformity Certificate Ü according to national regulations, or, according to the European Construction Product Directive (CPD), CE marking.

Voluntary testing and certification is carried out on construction products which do not necessarily have to fulfil essential requirements i.e. that need neither "Ü" nor "CE" marking. The quality of these products is attested through LGA certificates such as "LGA-tested", "LGA-tested Quality", or "LGA - Type tested and quality controlled". Voluntary certification, with a view to testing additional properties, is also possible with legally regulated construction products and types.

Construction Products in Accordance With German Federal Building Codes and Construction Product Directives

German federal Building Codes regulate verification methods for the use of construction products and types which have to meet essential requirements. The relevant regulations, as given under the European Construction Product Directive - in Germany realized by means of the Construction Product Law - have already been taken in consideration.

The Construction Product Directive will ultimately make feasible unrestricted traffic of products within the European Market. It regulates the launching of products onto the market. By publishing harmonized European technical specifications, such as European Standards (EN), or Guidelines (ETAG) for European Technical Approvals (ETA), the directive will be implemented step by step. The member states shall regulate the utilization of construction products carrying the CE marking by publishing the harmonized specifications and the levels or classes to be used. In certain instances, in addition to the CE marking, construction products may require a certificate of conformity in Germany.

Regulated as well as non-regulated construction products and types, are published under the Construction Products Regulation List A and B by the German Institute of Building Technology (DIBt www.dibt.de) Berlin. Construction products which do not have to meet essential requirements categorize under List C.

Outline of Acknowledgements (Notifications)

The LGA Bautechnik is one of the big notified testing, inspection, and certification bodies, acknowledged by the German Institute for Construction Technology (DIBt). It assesses construction products which need to be rated according to national regulations (Identification Mark: BAY02), and it is an acknowledged "notified body" in accordance with Construction Product Directive, Identification-No. 0780 CPD. Extensive testing equipment is in use at our LGA-stations at Nürnberg and Würzburg.

With about 1 000 inspection and certification contracts (approx. 210 of them with foreign companies) we may be counted among the most important "PÜZ-Stellen" (notified bodies for testing, inspection and certification) in Germany. The approvals comprise a broad range of construction products - from cement to prefabricated houses. The details are outlined in the following lists:

• Regulated construction products according to Construction Products Regulation List A, Part 1 (ÜZ, Mark of conformity Ü)
• Construction products having the General Legal Approval (Z)
• General Legal Test Certificate P for construction products (P)
• Initial testing of construction products by a notified body (ÜHP)
• Testing and inspection body for construction types and activities connected with construction products
• Notified body for testing, inspection and certification according to Construction Product Directive

For certifications of regulated construction products the following certificates and markings are applied generally:

• EC - Certificate of Conformity
• Certificate of Conformity Ü
• Mark of Conformity Ü
• CE Marking

The notifications of the LGA Bautechnik according to German Bbuilding Codes are valid in all federal states. As far as the Construction Products Directive is concerned the notifications apply even to the entire European Market (EC and EFTA).

Details Concerning Construction Products According to German Building Codes

German Federal Building Codes differentiate between regulated, non-regulated, and other construction products. Regulated construction products are in agreement with or do not significantly deflect from the technical regulations as published in the Construction Products Regulation List A Section 1.

Non-regulated construction products either deflect significantly from technical regulations published in the Construction Regulation List A Part 1 or none of the construction regulations apply to them. If they are used in construction they require:

• a General Legal Approval, or
• a General Legal Test Certificate, or
• an approval in individual cases

Regulated and non-regulated construction products may be used if their fitness for use is confirmed by the required attestation of conformity, and if for this reason they carry the Mark of Conformity Ü. Depending on the significance of each respective construction product with regard to the safety, health, etc. of humans, they are placed in three different categories:

• ÜH: Declaration of Conformity by the manufacturer
• ÜHP: Declaration of Conformity by the manufacturer, following the initial type test by a notified body
• ÜZ: Certificate of Conformity by a notified body

Details Concerning Construction Products According to the Construction Product Directive

Construction products, to which published harmonized European standards or European Technical Approvals apply, shall carry the CE Mark and the mandatory additional marking. Harmonization of European standards is always regulated under Annex ZA. Here the main characteristics of the product, mandatory tests, and the applicable Conformity Assessment Procedure are defined. The Construction Products Directive differentiates between 6 systems for Assessment of Conformity (AoC).

Further Acknoledgements and Certifications on the Construction Product Sector

Apart from the legally regulated section of construction products according to the German Building Codes and the BauPG, the LGA Bautechnik holds the following civil law approvals:

• Approvals by the Superior Building Authorities of Bavaria and other federal states as testing body according to RAP Stra located at Nürnberg and Würzburg, for construction materials and mixtures for roadworks
• Approval according to § 19 l WHG (Water Balance Law) /§ 26 VAwS for testing plants that deal with materials hazardous to water
• Approval as a notified test and inspection body of the DVGW (German Association Gas and Water Sector) for construction parts for gas and drinking water supplies

Voluntary Certification of Construction Products (non-regulated sector)

For still other construction products and on the basis of standards and/or testing directives (when needed, these can be prepared by the LGA Bautechnik), we offer in case of and subsequent to testing of products and factory inspection, among others, the following certifications:

• LGA tested - Certificate
• LGA tested Quality - Certificate
• Other construction products
• LGA-Gebäude-Pass modular system for the assessment of planning and/or the construction of buildings

An inspection and certification contract, concluded by the manufacturer and the LGA Bautechnik, constitutes the basis for regular inspections of the manufacture of construction products and the certification of these products.

Our test laboratories are accredited according to standard DIN EN ISO 17025 by the DAP - German Accreditation System for Testing Ltd.

Our inspection bodies and the certification body work on the basis of standards DIN EN 45011 and DIN EN ISO/IEC 17020.

Cooperation with Testing, Inspection and Certification Bodies Abroad

The LGA is a member of the international network ECI ICE, of which testing and certification institutes from Croatia, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Chechia, and Hungary all are a part also. The cooperation of this network aims at an efficient exchange of information concerning the relevant legal and technical requirements in those states, cooperation in testing and inspection procedures, mutual acknowledgement of certifications, and an information service for producers and exporting and importing companies.

Contact:

Karl-Heinz Störrlein Dipl.-Ing. (Univ.) TÜV Rheinland LGA Bautechnik GmbH Tillystraße 2 90431 Nuremberg Germany Phone: +49 (0) 911 655-55 77 Fax:     +49 (0) 911 655-55 55 eMail: karl-heinz.stoerrlein@de.tuv.com

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Last Updated: 29.10.2010