BSRIA becomes first organisation to achieve UKAS accreditation for airtightness testing of Raised Access Plenum Floors

BSRIA, the leading independent provider of building services testing, intelligence, and research, has become the first and only organisation to be UKAS-accredited in accordance with BTS 4/2024 to carry out airtightness testing of Raised Access Plenum Floors (RAPFs), following a successful ISO 17025 audit earlier this year.

The accreditation comes following BSRIA’s recent announcement of the new test standard, BTS 4/2024 Airtightness Testing of Raised Access Plenum Floors. The standard sets out a comprehensive methodology for measuring the air leakage of RAPFs, supporting the management of airflow in an efficient manner.

RAPFs are widely used in modern construction, especially in data centres, where effective airflow management is crucial for cooling and operational efficiency. The airtightness of RAPFs is vital to ensure conditioned air, in an underfloor void flows directly into the occupied zones above and does not escape through cavities, risers, stairwells, or other adjacent areas.

This new standard supersedes previous guidance BG 65/2016 Floor Plenum Airtightness – Guidance and Testing Methodology and introduces enhanced testing processes and simplified guidance in response to industry feedback.

Chris Knights, BSRIA Building Performance Evaluation Business Manager and Lead Author of BTS 4/2024, said: “The UKAS accreditation ensures we continue to provide independent testing to the highest standards of quality, repeatability, and traceability. This is a significant advancement enabling the industry to adopt a dedicated standard, delivering higher performing building services solutions for building owners/operators. UKAS accreditation ensures we continue to provide independent testing to the highest standards of quality, repeatability, and traceability.”

He added: “An effectively constructed and air sealed raised access plenum floor is essential for achieving the air distribution performance intended during the design phase. The methodology outlined in BTS 4/2024 provides clear criteria and a step-by-step process for verifying as-built performance. With increased demand for high-performing spaces such as data centres, specifying BTS 4/2024 supports effective air distribution solutions, ensuring RAPFs align with design intentions for optimal performance and energy efficiency.”