Summary
The British Standards Institution (BSI) has now published the latest edition of BS5422: 2023 - (Thermal insulating materials for pipes, tanks, vessels, ductwork and equipment operating within the temperature range –40 °C to +700 °C – Method for specifying).
This standard is the cornerstone of thermal insulation standards in the UK, setting minimum levels of performance for different operating conditions. This is the first update since 2009 and has been long awaited by the industry.
BS 5422: 2023 introduces several key changes which will affect the specification of Kingspan Kooltherm® Pipe Insulation.
Key Changes
In summary:
- Tables within the standard have been simplified, removing rarely used thermal insulation values and removing separate tables for steel and copper pipework. These have instead been replaced by a “less than or equal to” value, which in theory gives contractors only a single table with which to refer to.
- References in regards to reaction to fire have been changed to reflect the requirement for Euroclass fire ratings, and removing the now withdrawn national classification requirements. The standard now reads:
- The tables from the Energy Technology List (also known as Enhanced Capital Allowances) have now been incorporated into the standard as additional enhanced tables.
- A specific district heating table has been added based upon 55 °C flow temperatures with much more demanding heat loss requirements than existing tables.
- Single wall plastic pipework is now considered to have no insulative value of their own.
Updates to the Calculation Standard
A key point to note is that the standard does not currently take into account the changes to the BS EN ISO 12241: 2022 (Thermal insulation for building equipment and industrial installations. Calculation rules) calculation standard. BS5422: 2023 has been released in accordance with the 2008 edition of the calculation standard, rather than the newly released 2022 edition. This was done to minimise delays, but this does mean that the standard will need to be recalculated in the future to take these changes into account (Q3 2023 is referenced in the standard but as of Q2 2024 there has been no change of the standard). This standard change has significant impact on calculating thicknesses for condensation control, and will lead to some widespread thickness changes when incorporated.
It is worth noting that the standard also includes the below reference in section 8.3.3 – the implication being that unless instructed otherwise that the enhanced (Table B) should be used for each relevant standard.
Please download the full technical bulletin below for further information and to view our updated thickness tables.
