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This topic seems to be something that many professionals within our industry argue about and contest. We often get asked by our customers if our rooflights are CE marked, and an hour searching the web will find different rooflight manufacturers making different claims.

The simple answer to the above question is ‘no’; at this present moment in time it isn’t actually possible to CE mark out of plane glass rooflights.

Now if you find it a bit odd that in a world of standards and regulation there isn’t anything to cover this particular type of product, then you might be right. But, closer inspection of the standards does reveal that almost all types of material are covered apart from out of plane glass rooflights.

‘Out-of-plane’ means that the rooflights are typically mounted onto kerbs above the plane of the roof, either self-supporting or in glazing bar systems at pitches of less than 15 degrees.

The following table lists the existing harmonized European standards (hEn) to which CE marks can be applied.

Standards with CE marking:

Standard Description Material Plane
EN 1873:2005 Refers to out of plane individual domed or pyramid rooflights manufactured from one or more layers of solid polycarbonate. Polycarbonate Out of Plane
EN 1013:2012 Light transmitting single skin profiled plastic sheets for internal and external roofs, walls and ceilings such as profiled GRP and polycarbonate in plane single skin sheets. GRP/
Polycarbonate		 In Plane
EN 14351-1:2006+A1: 2010 Windows and doors. Roof windows which are installed in the same orientation and in plane with the surrounding roof at a minimum 15 degrees pitch, weathered into the roof using skirt or flashing, e.g. Velux style roof window. Glass In Plane
EN 14963: 2006 Continuous plastic rooflights with rectangular plan with the base installed at less than 10 degrees pitch. Plastic Out of Plane
EN12101-2:2003 Automatic Opening Vents linked to a fire alarm system to open automatically in the event of a fire, including either glass or plastic which also performs the function of a rooflight. (link to GV X Vent) Glass Out of Plane
EN16153 Applies to flat, structured polycarbonate sheeting which may be used for a variety of rooflight types. Polycarbonate NA
EN16240 Applies to flat, solid polycarbonate sheeting used for a variety of rooflight types. Polycarbonate NA

The table demonstrates that there are various material standard hENs covering a range of materials which may be used to manufacture roof windows, framed rooflights and bespoke applications, but there are no relevant standards to allow CE marking of out of plane glass rooflights.

CE marks may be applied where European Technical Approval Guidelines (ETAG) exist. However this is not compulsory and the requirements of the ETAG to test all variants and sizes may make use of the ETAG for CE marking a range of rooflights unfeasible.

Despite the fact that no hEN standards are currently applicable to Glazing Vision products (with the exception of our xVent AOV which is CE marked under EN12101-2:2003), our rooflights must still comply with building regulations.

It is also possible to independently test products to prove their performance. Glazing Visions complete Flushglaze range of rooflights have been independently tested and certified by the British Board of Agrement (BBA) https://www.bbacerts.co.uk

As the table above clearly shows, many rooflights are being manufactured that fall outside of these CE marking requirements, as they have no harmonized European standard that applies to them. Ultimately, this is the reason that CE Marking is so confusing. Glazing Vision work closely with The National Association of Rooflight Manufacturers (NARM), alongside other manufacturers and competitors, to develop a clearly defined set of standards for out of plane glass rooflights.

To read more on this subject in a little more detail, visit NARM’s Technical Document NTD07 or call our technical department on 01379 353 741.