The standardization work in the field of wood durability and preservation is managed, at the European level, by the technical committee CEN/TC38 “Durability of wood and wood-based products”. The scope of CEN/TC38 covers both durability (resistance to biological attack), either inherent or achieved with the help of wood protection processes, of wood-based products and their performance (or service life). Existing standards aim to ensure quality and satisfy consumer expectations, eliminate trade barriers, harmonize the methods used in the sector of wood protection, thus facilitating understanding between producers and users, and promote sustainable development by delivering reliable wood products. Moreover, the standards provide manufacturers with methods which are in compliance with the legal requirements related to the Construction Product Regulation (which requires reliable information about the performance of construction products) and the Biocidal Products Regulation. However, in their current versions, they provide little information on service life.
Producing sustainable wood-based materials is thus a challenge that makes it crucial to work out reliable standards that take into consideration both the expectations and obligations of end-users and the broad set of parameters that may influence wood’s service life, such as exposure to the moisture risk, climatic variations across Europe, local designs, or customers’ approach to replacement and maintenance. In order to reach these objectives, most of the major CEN/TC38 standards are currently being revised based on the recent scientific, technological and legal developments in the field of wood protection.
Keywords: CEN/TC38, European standardization, durability, performance
Authors
Kutnik, M.
Laboratory of Biology, Technological Institute FCBA, Allée de Boutaut, Bordeaux Cedex
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