From managing wind loads to stopping rain from entering the building, cladding is a major exterior component of the building envelope. We deliver professional cladding and facade testing services that help you meet today’s stringent building requirements, ensuring the protection and safety of the building and its occupants.

Cladding and facade testing services

Element’s experts conduct testing on a variety of products and cladding materials both at the pre-construction phase for design validation and on-site. We test residential and commercial windows, doors and curtain walls, stone facade as well as pressure equalized rain screens, aluminum, composite and PVC sidings. 

We test cladding and facades for air leakage, water penetration, and structural characteristics including racking. Our goal is to ensure that your product is air and watertight, has sufficient strength and stiffness to resist wind loads and protects the building from external conditions. 

An efficient cladding can also help maximize thermal performance, improving the energy efficiency in the building.   

 

The Element advantage 

With well-equipped facilities and dedicated experts for fenestration testing including air tightness, water penetration, acoustic, and failure analysis, Element is your specialist partner in all testing related to the performance of cladding and facades. Our services help you to obtain a well-sealed building that complies with the increasingly stringent building codes and green energy requirements.     

As part of our global fire offering, we are also able to test cladding products to reaction to fire standards including ASTM E84, CAN/ULC S-102, and ASTM E1354. 

These capabilities, coupled with our vast industry knowledge, allow us to be your single source provider for all of your building products testing needs. For more information about our cladding testing, or to learn more about the services we provide to the construction industry, contact us today.

Element’s laboratory is outfitted with advanced equipment comprising dynamic wind machines, hygrothermal chambers, and large air, water and structural test walls to accommodate facades of any size and design.   

Our laboratory also features large outdoor mock-up chambers for conducting large scale curtain wall testing.

All of our tests are conducted in accordance with the major national and international standards including:

  • AAMA 501.1, AAMA 501.5, AAMA 508 and AAMA 509
  • ASTM E283, ASTM E783, ASTM E331, ASTM E547, and ASTM E1105, ASTM E330, ASTM E1592
  • NAFS 101/I.S.2/A440- 2008, 2011, 2017 

Our team of over 9,000 Engaged Experts in North America, Europe, The Middle East, Australia, Asia and Africa are ready to help you.