Interview with Roland Stoiber COO / General Manager Resysta International GmbH

Resysta - a fireproof alternative to tropical wood

Resysta is a sustainable, recyclable alternative to tropical wood and is used more and more frequently for facades and flooring in Germany. Roland Stoiber, contact person for architects, explains the special fire performance for facades and which manufacturers have gained experience with Resysta.

Are there any interesting product novelties with regard to floor boards?

Salamander Outdoor, our specialist for floor boards and facades, offers a new substructure for terraces, allowing for the floating installation of Resysta floor boards. A special aluminum substructure was created, which permits the employment of Resysta on roof terraces without having to screw into the roof membrane. Furthermore, the installation is considerably facilitated with "Aluminium Uk" in comparison to the current substructure. The substructure battens are fitted with grooves and screw grooves, which allow for fast, accurate and flush positioning. Uneven substrates can be compensated by height-adjustable lifts. The fastening system with the T-Clip and the concealed system with a narrow joint pattern can be used for the attachment of the floor boards. All components of the substructure system are made of aluminum or galvanized steel and are therefore absolutely weatherproof.

What is new in the field of facades?

Further specialization has taken place for facade cladding. Resysta as a raw material is available in an attractive wood appearance and can be colored by the glazes. As of late, the customer may choose from many colors when ordering the raw material at Salamander Outdoor (see image). Thus, the desired facade does not have be varnished. Depending on the order quantity, special colors can be provided. Starbucks, for instance, made use of this offer and created its own hue, matching its corporate identity. In addition, Salamander Outdoor has certified the board-like facade profiles according to the European Class E fire behavior. Likewise, stability tests are now completed and static values are available. This makes static calculations of the profiles possible, which significantly facilitates the work of production engineers.

Can Resysta be used without hesitation for facades?

Of course. Although a building approval is not yet available, a static calculation of the material and installation according to Building Regulation List Part C is possible. An approval for other applications is possible in particular cases.

How is the fire behavior?

As standard, Resysta is equipped with fire protection class 2 (B2). Subsequently it depends on the manufacturer and customer requirements. Salamander Outdoor offers B1 and B2. The facade profiles are certified class E DIN EN 13501-1. For terrace decking, B1 for example is not necessary. In shipbuilding, Resysta has already reached the highest fire protection class, an IMO certification. Thus, the material can for example be used for cruise ships.

Keyword: Fire Protection - When do you need a technical approval for facades?

This depends on the building class according to model building code and thus on the client. There are also projects, for which approvals for specific use are issued. One example is the project 'Wittenstein by Henn Architekten Munich', for which 1500 sqm Resysta facade was installed.

Welche Firmen in DeutschlandWhich companies in Germany have experience with the use of Resysta for facades?

Company 'Lindner' is a good reference for facade building with Resysta. In addition, there are other local facade specialists.

Find the complete interview on VfA Bayern website : Inteview mit Roland Stoiber