TÜV Rheinland has a specialized group of people, based in the Netherlands, performing testing, inspections and certification of building materials. Products that can be certified are glass as used in building constructions (float, heat strengthened, tempered, coated, laminated glass, insulating glass units, fire – bullet – explosion resistant glass etc.), windows and doors, curtain walling, smoke and heat exhaust ventilation systems (SHEV’s) and sealants. 

After products have been tested on aspects such as strength and durability, mechanical stability, safety, energy economy, sustainable use of natural resources and quality in own TÜV Rheinland or other accredited labs, the products can be certified.

Certification of glass

Certification activities include making a certification contract, performing initial audits, initial factory inspections, sample taking audits (for products with certain safety related properties), Factory Production Control (FPC) audits and other surveillance audits.

Clients often think that after a test a certificate will be issued. But testing is checking a product or service by use of a set of requirements and test methods (a standard) if that product/service fulfills the requirements of that standard. Testing results in a test report (not a certificate), it reflects the status of that one product (not: the production) on that moment. A test report says nothing about the quality of the ongoing production.
Certification is an ongoing process: the fabrication of the product is under continuous surveillance by the certification body, certification results in a certificate, if test results and audit results were and stay positive.

Certification of glass, voluntary of mandatory?

Certification of a construction products like glass can be voluntary or mandatory. It depends on the Attestation of Conformity system (level) of the product with its characteristics under the old Construction Products Directive or, from 1 July 2013, the ‘Systems of assessment and verification of constancy of performance’ under the new Construction Products Regulation EU No 305/2011 (law from 1 July in all EU member states).

In case of fire, bullet or explosion resistant materials, mostly system 1 is applicable, meaning that certification is mandatory. Clients can also decide for voluntary certification, to distinguish themselves from their competitors.

Range of services

On the website of TÜV Rheinland Nederland all services for glass testing and certification are listed. These includes these norms: EN13501-3/EN357, EN13501-5/EN1187, EN13501-1, EN13541, EN1063, EN12600, EN356, EN1288, EN12898, EN673, EN674, EN675, EN410, EN12758, EN572, EN1748-1, EN1748-2 , EN14178, EN15682, EN1863, EN12337, EN-ISO-12543, EN12150, EN14179, EN13024, EN14321, EN15682, EN15683, EN1036-1, EN1096-2, EN1096-3, EN1279-2, EN1279-3, EN1279-4, EN1279-6, EN1051, EN13022, EN15434, ETAG 002

Contact TÜV Rheinland for testing and certifying glass products

We can help you with testing and certifying glass materials. Visit our website to get to know our services for glass or contact us directly at info@nl.tuv.com