02/05/2025
The UK Government is considering some significant amendments to building regulations which will impact BWF Members and the wider woodworking and joinery manufacturing industry. A consultation of ...
From 1 July 2013, the manufacturer of a repeated design of a window or external door will be required to draw up a Declaration of Performance (DoP). By drawing up the DoP, the manufacturer shall assume responsibility for the conformity of the construction product with the declared performance. We have prepared a template DoP for a window that a BWF member classified as a micro-enterprise could adapt and adopt in order to help them meet one of the requirements of CE marking
A DoP needs to list the Essential Characteristics of the product as defined in BS EN 14351-1.
The declaration of performance must list all the Essential Requirements (as listed in Annex ZA) and must contain all of the below:
• at least one declared value,
• a value for those mandated, or essential, characteristics that are required by the National Regulations of the Member State in which the window or external doorset is to be used
• a value for those characteristics for which the relevant harmonised standard requires a threshold value to be achieved.
In England, for example, the National Regulations are considered to be the Building Regulations. This means that whilst you need to list all of the Essential Requirements in a DoP, you are only required to declare performance if there is a performance requirement listed in the Building Regulations.
The only requirement within the Building Regulations for windows and external doorsets is to declare a U-value. So for a window, a declaration of performance need only declare a value for thermal transmittance and for the load bearing capacity of any safety devices that may be fitted as, in BS EN 14351-1 (this essential characteristic has a threshold value). There should also be a hazardous substances declaration. For the listed Essential Characteristics for which no performance is declared, the letters ‘NPD’ (No Performance Determined) may be given.
In addition to the above, a DoP is also required to contain:
(a) the reference of the product-type for which the declaration of performance has been drawn up;
(b) a statement that system 3 for assessment and verification of constancy of performance has been used (or possibly system 4 for micro-enterprises).
(c) A reference to BS EN 14351-1:2006 + A1:2010 which is used for the assessment of each essential characteristic;
(d) the intended use or uses for the construction product as given in BS EN 14351-1 which is, “Window intended to be used in domestic and commercial locations.” or “External pedestrian doorset intended to be used in domestic and commercial locations.”
Download our draft DoP here, or visit our dedicated CE Marking page for more advice. If you have any questions relating to this article, please do not hesitate to contact the BWF Technical Helpline on 0844 209 2610
*A micro-enterprise is defined as an enterprise which employs fewer than 10 persons and whose annual turnover and/or annual balance sheet total does not exceed EUR 2 million.
