Understanding CPR

The Construction Products Regulation (CPR) aims to provide a common technical language to assess the performance of construction products.  The CPR applies additional criteria and testing procedures to promote a more harmonised standard to describe a cable’s reaction to fi­re.

Most data cabling tender specifications stipulate the requirement for a 'Standards Compliant' system to be supplied. In the UK, to achieve this you must specify compliance with BS6701:2016+A1:2017, which states:

"For new installations and the refurbishment or extension of existing installations within the external fire barrier of the building, installation cables which are subject to the CPR shall as a minimum meet the requirements of Euroclass Cca, s1b, d2, a2."

FLAMES

HEAT

SMOKE

DROPLETS

ACIDITY

A Closer Look at CPR Euroclasses

Fca Undetermined ReactionB2ca Low Reaction
Eca Basic ReactionB1ca Very Low Reaction
Dca Improved ReactionAca No Reaction
Cca Reduced Reaction

  • A CPR-Compliant cable must belong to 1 of 7 Euroclass categories
  • Each category relates precisely to the way it performed under the appropriate testing
  • Each Euroclass Aca – Fca determines an individual cable’s reaction to fire

Which CPR Euroclass should you choose?

Different Member States require different CPR classification levels for various applications. Each Member State may implement the standard in line with their regional requirements. For example, hospitals require a B2ca rating in some countries, but only a Cca rating in others. To achieve standards compliance in the UK, it is important to choose a cable with a CPR Euroclass of a minimum of Cca, s1b, d2, a2 - as stipulated in BS6701:2016+A1:2017. This applies to any new installations or the refurbishment and/or extension of existing installations within the external fire barrier of the building.

We advise to always check with a country’s local regulations.

Our Commitment to you…

  • Excel provide a Declaration of Performance (DOP) certificate for each CPR-compliant cable in the Downloads section of the product page on the website
  • Excel’s CPR-compliant cable is marked with a label that stipulates the product’s DOP number for complete transparency
  • Excel print the CPR Euroclass and DOP Number on the outer sheath of the cable, for 100% traceability even after the installation.

Excel Explains… CPR

Our series of "Excel Explains" webinars has been designed to provide important technology updates in bite size sessions and are based on frequently asked questions received by our Technical Team. The first series focused on the Construction Products Regulation, covering various topics in more detail.

Excel Encyclopaedia

Further information about the Construction Products Regulation can be found online in the Excel Encyclopaedia. The Excel Encyclopaedia is a comprehensive document that aims to educate installers, designers and consultants about structured cabling as well as providing details about the complete Excel range. It also includes useful documents such as tender responses, white papers and much more.

cpr@excel-networking.com