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Introduction

NSAI formulates standards through consultation with various interested consumer, environmental, industry and government parties.  Get involved in standards development to be at the cutting edge of your industry.  Contact standards@nsai.ie for our list of Technical Committees and contact details for relevant Technical Secretaries.

You can search our Standards online catalogue for Irish and European Standards, Eurocodes and relevant National Annex and Standard Recommendations (S.R.).

Visit our Your Standards, Your Say portal to search, read, comment and share standards currently under development.

Contact NSAI Standards if you have any questions regarding your involvement in NSAI Standards Development.

Learn More about the Fire Safety Standards Committee (FSSC)

NSAI Standards - Construction Sector Standardisation Programme to 2021

This publication introduces the NSAI Standards Construction Sector Standardisation Programme and highlights the NSAI’s contribution to Ireland’s construction sector.  Insight is provided into the extent of standardisation activities in the sector, nationally and internationally, including the considerable input of Irish experts, the role of the NSAI Construction Standards Consultative Committee and the way forward for standardisation in this growing sector in Ireland.

Other important documents referenced in the publication include:

Construction Standardisation Programme Database

A key challenge for the NSAI is to make information on Construction Standards easily discoverable.  The database contains comprehensive information about the National Technical Committees related to construction, including the associated European Technical committee which they mirror (see example below).

Although the sources of data are dynamic, the database reflects a point in time and will be updated intermittently throughout the period of the NSAI Standards – Construction Sector Standardisation Programme to 2021.

NSAI Publications

Construction Products Regulations (CPR)

As part of the Better Regulation initiative, CPR intends to bring about

  • Clarification of the basic concepts and of the use of CE marking;
  • Simplification of the procedures, so as to reduce the costs incurred by enterprises, in particular SMEs; and
  • increased credibility for the whole system.

The CPR has already entered into force.  However, the main parts of its substantial Articles shall apply first from 1 July 2013.

The following links provide further information relating to construction products, regulation and harmonized standards:

Keep informed

  • NANDO - this website provide information the EU's enterprise policy, entrepreneurship, business support, innovation and standardization
  • European Standards based on particular CEN Technical Committees

Learn More

As part of its drive to overcome technical barriers to trade, the EU has mandated a system of structural design codes known as Eurocodes for application in the field of construction and civil engineering.
There are 10 Eurocodes comprising 58 individual parts or standards. The first 2 parts – Eurocode 0 and Eurocode 1 – are common to all design situations. Eurocodes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9 are material-specific. The others are specialist codes relating to geotechnical and seismic aspects.

  • EN1990 Eurocode 0: Basis of structural design
  • EN1991 Eurocode 1: Actions on structures
  • EN1992 Eurocode 2: Design of concrete structures
  • EN1993 Eurocode 3: Design of steel structures
  • EN1994 Eurocode 4: Design of composite steel and concrete structures
  • EN1995 Eurocode 5: Design of timber structures
  • EN1996 Eurocode 6: Design of masonry structures
  • EN1997 Eurocode 7: Geotechnical design
  • EN1998 Eurocode 8: Design of structures for earthquake resistance
  • EN1999 Eurocode 9: Design of aluminium structures.

Eurocodes have been developed principally for the purpose of harmonizing the market for goods and services in the construction sector. They:

  • Provide common design criteria and methods to fulfil the specified requirements for mechanical resistance, stability and resistance to fire, including aspects of durability and economy
  • Provide a common understanding regarding the design of structures between owners, operators, users, designers, contractors and manufacturers of construction products
  • Facilitate the exchange of construction services between Member states
  • Facilitate the marketing and use of structural components and kits in Member states

In 1975 the European Commission embarked upon a long-term programme to eliminate technical obstacles to trade. For 15 years, a steering group established by the Commission and made up of representatives from Member States devised a set of harmonized technical rules for the structural design of construction works. By the late 1980s, the first generation of European construction design codes was published.

In 1989, the Commission transferred the preparation and publication of the Eurocodes to the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). Since then, CEN has worked on developing the Eurocodes into a comprehensive set of European Standards (ENs).

As the national member body of CEN, and the national publisher of all European Standards, NSAI has spearheaded the Eurocodes National Implementation Programme via its National Eurocodes Consultative Committee.

You can also contact:

Ken Murphy | Technical Secretary to the National Eurocodes Consultative Committee
T: +353 01 8073800

The Fire Safety Standards Committee (FSSC) is a consultative committee of the NSAI set up to advise on what standards are necessary for products and processes in all aspects of fire safety.

The committee oversees the work of several committee working groups who focus on different areas of fire safety standardisation. They are:

  • NSAI TC16 WG1 – Fire Safety in Building
  • NSAI TC16 WG2 – Fire Alarms
  • NSAI TC16 WG3 – Fire Services Equipment
  • NSAI TC16 WG4 – Fire Safety of Furniture and Textiles
  • NSAI TC16 WG5 – Emergency Lighting

The FSSC steers the development and maintenance of fire safety Standards that are widely used in industry and include:

  • I.S. 3218:2013+A1:2019 - Fire detection and alarm systems for buildings - System design, installation, commissioning, servicing and maintenance & Amendment 1:2019
  • I.S. 3217:2013+A1:2017 - Emergency Lighting and Amendment 1:2017

 

Click on the following link to read the latest NSAI TC016 FSSC Annual Report 2018