Insulated Roof, Wall & Ceiling Panels

What it must achieve

Performance targets

Requirement	Target	Standard	Note
Roof / ceiling assembly — minimum TOTAL R-value	3.7 m²K/W	SANS 10400-XA:2021	Applies in ALL climatic zones under XA:2021. The only relief is Zone 5H (humid sub-tropical coastal — Durban, East London), which retains 2.7 m²K/W provided the roof is ventilated. The older XA:2011 zone-specific values (1:3.7, 2:3.2, 3:2.7, 4:3.7, 5:2.7, 6:3.5) are superseded — do not design to them.
External wall — deemed-to-satisfy route	No added insulation required	SANS 10400-XA	Double-skin (cavity) masonry OR a plastered single leaf ≥140 mm is already DEEMED-TO-SATISFY. Never justify a wall panel on an XA-compliance argument for such a wall — the reasons to panelise there are speed, hygiene, washability or a lightweight self-supporting envelope, not thermal compliance.
Lightweight / non-qualifying wall — minimum TOTAL R-value	≥ 0.35 m²K/W	SANS 10400-XA	This R-value floor applies only where the wall does not meet a deemed-to-satisfy masonry description (LSF, framed or sandwich-panel walls). Even the thinnest 50 mm panel clears it comfortably; on lightweight walls the binding constraint is normally fire and structure, not thermal.
Reaction-to-fire — Euroclass	B-s1,d0	SANS 53501-1 (EN 13501-1)	A reaction-to-fire classification (contribution to fire growth, smoke, flaming droplets). It is NOT a fire-resistance rating and must never be expressed in minutes. Where the regulation calls for a fire-resistance period (SANS 10400-T / SANS 10177-2), a separately tested assembly is required.
Structural — load / span	Per the ITT-calibrated LiteSpan load/span design tables	SANS 54509 (self-supporting double-skin metal-faced insulating panels)	Span is a function of thickness, skin gauge, single- vs multi-span support, design wind uplift and deflection limit. No single headline span figure exists and none should be quoted. The superseded brochure numbers (2.5/3.0/3.5/4.0 m at 1.6 kN/m², and the older 5.0–8.0 m set) must not be reprinted.

Where it goes

The assembly

External skin — coated steel (Chromadek or equivalent) — Roll-formed profiled steel forming the weatherskin. LiteSpan roof: 990 IBR (exposed valley fix) or 990 Standing Seam (concealed clip); 990 mm cover width in both cases.
Insulating core — factory-bonded — Standard core is FRCel fire-retarded EPS (λ 0.0352 W/m·K, VERIFIED to OTH-T-2309-04). PIR or Stone Wool on request. The PU bond to both skins is what makes the panel structurally composite and lets it span between purlins.
Internal skin — coated steel (the finished ceiling face) — The internal skin IS the ceiling. No separate ceiling board, brandering or skim, and no ceiling void to insulate separately.
Fixing plane at each support — IBR: 3 valley-fixed 14×125 Class-4 sealed tek screws per support. Standing Seam: one 1.2 mm GALVANISED clip per support, 2 screws per clip, seam closed over the clip so no fastener pierces the weather plane.
Supporting structure — purlins / rails on steel or timber — Purlin centres are set FROM the load/span table, not assumed. The panel is the structural deck; secondary steel is designed around the chosen panel thickness.

Layers listed outside → inside.

Every number, its source

Performance data & provenance

Property	Value	Standard	Source report	Status
Core thermal conductivity, λ (FRCel EPS)	0.0352 W/m·K	SANS 54509 Initial Type Test	OTH-T-2309-04 (Omega Test House) — 125 mm 990 IBR, FRCel core	Verified
U-value at 125 mm	0.252 W/m²K	SANS 54509 Initial Type Test	OTH-T-2309-04	Verified
Installed R-value by panel thickness (50 / 75 / 100 / 120 / 150 mm)	1.6 / 2.3 / 3.0 / 3.6 / 4.4 m²K/W	Derived from the ITT-declared λ	OTH-T-2309-04 (50 mm and 120 mm calculated from the ITT λ; 75/100/150 brochure-confirmed)	Calculated
Core density (tested panel, measured apparent)	21 kg/m³	SANS 54509 Initial Type Test	OTH-T-2309-04	Verified
Panel mass at 125 mm	≈12.5 kg/m²	SANS 54509 Initial Type Test	OTH-T-2309-04	Verified
Core compressive stress at 10% deformation	0.110 (= 110 kPa) MPa	SANS 54509 Initial Type Test	OTH-T-2309-04	Verified
Core shear strength	0.077 MPa	SANS 54509 Initial Type Test	OTH-T-2309-04 — note the '0.77' printed in the report's executive summary is a MISPRINT; the tested value is 0.077 MPa	Verified
Core shear modulus, G	3.188 MPa	SANS 54509 Initial Type Test	OTH-T-2309-04	Verified
Bending resistance M_u, mid-span (125 mm panel)	11.1 kN·m	SANS 54509 Initial Type Test	OTH-T-2309-04	Verified
Load / span capacity	Per the ITT-calibrated LiteSpan load/span design tables — no single headline span exists; the 2.5/3.0/3.5/4.0 m and 5.0–8.0 m brochure figures are SUPERSEDED	SANS 54509	OTH-T-2309-04 (tables calibrated to the ITT)	Verified
Reaction-to-fire — LiteSpan panel, 150 mm (Chromadek + EPS)	B-s1,d0 Euroclass	SANS 53501-1	IT 24-06-00029 — in validity to ~2029; this report DOES cover the 150 mm panel	Verified
Reaction-to-fire — FRCel EPS core (20DV, 60 mm)	B-s1,d0 Euroclass	SANS 53501-1	IT 23-08-00009 — in validity to ~2028	Verified
Fire-resistance — NuClad LiteCore LSF wall, LOAD-BEARING	FR60 (E/I/R 60) minutes	SANS 10177-2	FT 24-003 — in validity to ~2029. Applies to the NuClad LiteCore LSF wall assembly ONLY, not to a plain EPS-core sandwich panel	Verified
Fire-resistance — Stone Wool core panel walls (100 mm wall FR60 fixed / FR30 unfixed; double-studded firewall FR120; all non-load-bearing)	Test on file, validity LAPSED — revalidation required before this can be specified minutes	SANS 10177-2	FTC 20-011 and FTC 20-119 (both lapsed)	Lapsed
Reaction-to-fire — legacy large-scale 'B/B1 to 120 mm' listing	Test on file, validity LAPSED and SUPERSEDED by the B-s1,d0 Euroclass result — do not present as a current rating	SANS 10177-11 / SANS 428	FTC 19/117 (lapsed, superseded)	Lapsed
Panel geometry — cover width / thicknesses / max length / min pitch	990 mm cover (IBR and Standing Seam); 50 / 75 / 100 / 120 / 150 mm thick; up to 12 m long (on request); min pitch IBR 5°, Standing Seam 3° (≈1.5° mechanically-seamed, on request) mm / degrees	Manufacturer specification	Technopol LiteSpan product specification	Provisional
Stone Wool core thermal conductivity, λ	≤0.035 W/m·K	TS EN 12667	Supplier declaration — no in-house in-validity test report held	Provisional
PolyCool / SuperCool board R-value (by thickness)	PolyCool 1.27@35 / 1.69@50 / 2.40@75 / 3.00@100; SuperCool 1.60@50 / 1.87@60 / 2.30@75 / 2.95@100 m²·K/W	Derived (no independently tested λ published for these boards)	Technopol product data — no named in-validity test report	Provisional
Quality management certification (company)	ISO 9001:2015 — valid to 2028-06-02	ISO 9001:2015 (EQCSA, SANAS C22)	Reg no. Q 2016024	Verified

What these labels mean is defined on our data promise; every source report is on the register.

On site

Installation

Confirm the panel thickness against BOTH the XA total-R target for the zone AND the ITT-calibrated load/span table for the design wind uplift. Thickness is a thermal AND a structural decision — never pick it on R-value alone.
Set purlin/rail centres FROM the load/span table before fabricating the secondary steel. Do not fix purlin centres first and then hope a panel spans them.
Check the pitch: 990 IBR requires a minimum 5° roof pitch; 990 Standing Seam requires 3° (≈1.5° achievable with mechanical seaming, on request). Below these the profile is outside its specification.
Order panels to length wherever possible — up to 12 m on request. A single full-length panel eliminates the end-lap, which is the most common leak path and thermal bridge in the roof.
IBR fixing: 3 screws per support, valley-fixed (through the pan, not the crest), using 14×125 Class-4 sealed tek screws.
Standing Seam fixing: one 1.2 mm GALVANISED clip at every support with 2 screws per clip, then close the seam over the clip. Any specification calling for a 0.8 mm clip is out of date and must be corrected to 1.2 mm.
IBR end-laps: minimum 150 mm lap supported on a flat bar giving at least 50 mm bearing; alternatively a butt joint over a support with a 1.2 mm galvanised jointing plate.
Handle and store panels on edge, dry and covered. The skins are thin and the composite action depends on an intact core-to-skin bond — a crushed edge is a permanently weakened panel.
Never allow solvent-based sealants, bituminous products or solvent-thinned coatings to contact an exposed EPS core edge — they dissolve it. Use only EPS-compatible sealants at cut edges and penetrations.
Seal every cut edge, penetration and joint. In cold-room and high-humidity work the vapour-tightness of the joint IS the design — an unsealed joint condenses inside the core.
Keep panels clear of flues, chimneys, hot pipework and concentrated heat sources, to the separation required by the project fire strategy. FRCel EPS is fire-retardant TREATED, not non-combustible — all EPS is combustible.
Where SANS 10400-T calls for a fire-RESISTANCE period in minutes, do not rely on the B-s1,d0 reaction-to-fire class. Specify a separately tested assembly and confirm the backing test is currently in validity.

The limits

Where not to use this

A material specified for the wrong job fails you, then us.

Where the regulation demands a fire-RESISTANCE rating in minutes (occupancy separation, fire wall, escape-route enclosure) and a plain EPS-core sandwich panel is proposed

A plain EPS-core panel has NO fire-resistance rating. B-s1,d0 (IT 24-06-00029 / IT 23-08-00009) is a reaction-to-fire class only — it describes contribution to fire growth, not how long the element holds back a fire, and can never be quoted in minutes. The historic Stone Wool FR30/FR60 (FTC 20-011) and FR120 firewall (FTC 20-119) results are on file but LAPSED. PIR carries no fire-resistance rating at all — a 100 mm PIR 40 panel FAILED its SANS 10177-2 test.

→ Use the NuClad LiteCore LSF wall system (FT 24-003, FR60 load-bearing, in validity to ~2029) or a plastered LiteCore system, or commission a project-specific SANS 10177-2 test on the exact build-up. Never substitute a reaction-to-fire class for a fire-resistance rating.

Immediately adjacent to flues, chimneys, boiler breechings, kilns or sustained high-temperature ducts

All EPS is combustible — the FRCel grade is fire-retardant TREATED, not non-combustible. EPS also has a service-temperature ceiling of roughly 80 °C; above that it softens and shrinks away from the steel skin, and the composite action is lost long before there is any fire.

→ A Stone Wool core panel (A1 non-combustible core) with a properly detailed non-combustible separation and adequate clearance, designed to the project fire strategy.

Specifying 'LiteClad insulated panel' as the roof or wall element

SCOPE ERROR — LiteClad is NOT an insulated panel. The profiles (IBR Wide 990, Corrugated 990, Standing Seam 282/495, ClipClad 270, DutchClad 293 wall-only) are BARE 0.5 mm PPGL/PPGI roll-formed steel, laid as a weatherskin OVER a SEPARATE continuous external EPS layer on top-hat rails or battens. They are not factory-laminated to a core and must never be called composite, sandwich or insulated panels. The 0.5 mm steel adds negligible R-value.

→ For a one-lay insulated roof, specify LiteSpan (a genuine factory-laminated sandwich panel). For a rainscreen over a separate continuous EPS layer, specify LiteClad and size the EPS thickness as an independent design input on the continuous-insulation (EIFS) page. NuClad is the only steel-faced EPS composite board in that family.

As the insulation in an inverted / protected-membrane / ballasted roof, or anywhere the panel sits below the waterproofing or in standing water

An inverted roof needs insulation that survives permanent water exposure with minimal long-term moisture uptake and can be ballasted. A steel-faced sandwich panel is a finished roof element with cut core edges — it cannot be buried under a membrane, and moisture drawn into an exposed core edge destroys both the λ and the skin-to-core bond.

→ A purpose-graded EPS board specified for inverted/warm-roof duty on the inverted-roof application page — not a laminated panel.

Proposing a wall panel to 'achieve XA compliance' on a masonry cavity wall or a plastered single leaf ≥140 mm

Those walls are already DEEMED-TO-SATISFY under SANS 10400-XA — no added insulation is required for compliance. Selling a panel on a thermal-compliance argument there is a false claim.

→ Specify the panel on its real merits (hygiene, washability, speed, lightweight self-supporting envelope, cold-room ΔT). Where the wall genuinely is lightweight/non-qualifying, the applicable target is only total R ≥ 0.35 m²K/W.

Roof pitches below the profile minimum — under 5° for 990 IBR or under 3° for 990 Standing Seam

Below the minimum pitch the profile's water-shedding and lap performance falls outside its specified envelope; capillary action and wind-driven rain drive water back through side- and end-laps.

→ Standing Seam at 3°, or mechanically-seamed Standing Seam down to ≈1.5° on request. A truly flat roof needs a membrane system, not a profiled panel.

Sustained long-term compressive loading, or leaving an unfaced EPS edge permanently exposed to UV or to solvents

EPS creeps under sustained load: long-term compressive design must be limited to the 1%-strain design limit, NOT to the 10%-deformation strength (0.110 MPa / 110 kPa), which is a short-term test value. Unfaced EPS also degrades under prolonged UV, and is dissolved outright by solvents, bitumen-based products and solvent-thinned coatings.

→ Design sustained loads against the 1%-strain design limit (use the geofoam design checker at ../../products/geofoam/calculator/ for load-bearing EPS), keep all cut core edges faced and sealed, and use only EPS-compatible sealants and coatings.

Citing Agrément SA 2020/609 in support of a LiteSpan (or LiteClad, Terraco, geofoam) specification

Agrément SA 2020/609 covers the LiteCore Building System ONLY, and only as a NON-LOAD-BEARING wall. There is no Agrément certificate for LiteSpan, LiteClad, Terraco, geofoam or anything else in the range, and a product certificate is not a company credential.

→ Specify LiteSpan on its SANS 54509 Initial Type Test (OTH-T-2309-04) and its in-validity reaction-to-fire report (IT 24-06-00029). Cite Agrément 2020/609 only for the LiteCore Building System as a non-load-bearing wall. Company-level certification is ISO 9001:2015, valid to 2028-06-02 (ISO 14001 and 45001 have lapsed and must not be published as current).

Questions

Specifier FAQ

How thick a panel do I need for SANS 10400-XA?

Under XA:2021 the roof/ceiling assembly must reach a TOTAL R-value of 3.7 m²K/W in every zone — the sole relief is Zone 5H (humid sub-tropical coastal: Durban, East London), which keeps 2.7 m²K/W provided the roof is ventilated. Against the CALCULATED installed R-values derived from the ITT λ of 0.0352 W/m·K (50 mm: 1.6 / 75: 2.3 / 100: 3.0 / 120: 3.6 / 150: 4.4 m²K/W), only the 150 mm panel clears 3.7 on its own; 120 mm at 3.6 is marginal and needs the surface and cavity resistances of the actual build-up counted to close the gap. Run the real build-up through the XA compliance checker rather than reading the panel R-value in isolation.

What span can a LiteSpan panel achieve?

There is no single answer, and anyone offering one is quoting a superseded brochure. Span depends on thickness, skin gauge, single- vs multi-span support, design wind uplift, imposed load and the deflection limit accepted. Use the ITT-calibrated load/span design tables. The old figures — 2.5 / 3.0 / 3.5 / 4.0 m at 1.6 kN/m² (2024 brochure) and 5.0 / 6.5 / 7.5 / 8.0 m (2021 brochures) — are SUPERSEDED and must not be used for design or reprinted.

Is LiteSpan fire rated?

LiteSpan holds a B-s1,d0 reaction-to-fire classification to SANS 53501-1 (report IT 24-06-00029, in validity to ~2029, covering the 150 mm Chromadek + EPS panel), and it is the only insulated panel on South Africa's national reaction-to-fire register. That is a REACTION-to-fire class — how the material contributes to fire growth, smoke and flaming droplets. It is NOT a fire-resistance rating and cannot be expressed in minutes. If the fire strategy needs an FR30/FR60/FR120 period, a plain EPS-core panel does not provide it.

What about the Stone Wool FR60 / FR120 and the old 'B/B1 to 120 mm' figures I've seen quoted?

Those tests exist on file — FTC 20-011 (100 mm wall, FR60 fixed / FR30 unfixed, non-load-bearing), FTC 20-119 (FR120 double-studded firewall) and the SANS 10177-11 / SANS 428 'B/B1 to 120 mm' listing (FTC 19/117) — but their validity has LAPSED. They must be described as 'test on file, validity lapsed — revalidation required', never as a current rating; the SANS 428 listing is additionally SUPERSEDED by the B-s1,d0 Euroclass result. As at today the only in-validity fire claims in the whole range are B-s1,d0 (IT 23-08-00009 and IT 24-06-00029) and FR60 load-bearing for the NuClad LiteCore LSF wall (FT 24-003). The Terraco EIFS SANS 8414-2 facade pass (FTC 21-033) also lapsed in June 2026.

Is LiteClad an insulated panel?

No — this is the most common specification error in the range. LiteClad profiles are BARE 0.5 mm PPGL/PPGI roll-formed steel: a weatherskin laid OVER a SEPARATE continuous EPS insulation layer on top-hat rails or battens. They are not factory-laminated to a core and must never be called composite, sandwich or insulated panels. The 0.5 mm steel contributes negligible R-value, so the EPS layer thickness is an entirely independent design input. NuClad is the one steel-faced EPS composite board in that family.

Can I switch to a PIR core to improve fire performance?

Not on a fire-resistance argument. PIR carries NO fire-resistance rating in this range — a 100 mm PIR 40 panel FAILED its SANS 10177-2 test. PIR is available on request for its thermal performance, but if fire is the driver the honest answers are a Stone Wool core (A1 non-combustible core) or the NuClad LiteCore LSF wall system (FT 24-003, FR60 load-bearing, in validity). Compare all three cores on the core-comparison tool before committing.

Does the Agrément certificate cover LiteSpan?

No. Agrément SA certificate 2020/609 covers the LiteCore Building System ONLY, and only as a NON-LOAD-BEARING wall. There is no Agrément certificate for LiteSpan, LiteClad, Terraco or geofoam. LiteSpan is specified on its SANS 54509 Initial Type Test (OTH-T-2309-04, Omega Test House) and its in-validity reaction-to-fire report (IT 24-06-00029). Technopol's company-level certification is ISO 9001:2015, valid to 2028-06-02; ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 lapsed in March 2026 and are not published as current.

Do I need a wall panel to make masonry walls XA-compliant?

Almost certainly not. Under SANS 10400-XA, double-skin (cavity) masonry OR a plastered single leaf ≥140 mm is DEEMED-TO-SATISFY — no added insulation is required for compliance. Only lightweight or otherwise non-qualifying walls must demonstrate a total R-value, and the bar there is a modest ≥0.35 m²K/W. Specify a wall panel for hygiene, speed, washability, cold-room duty or a lightweight self-supporting envelope — never on a false XA-compliance argument.

What fixings does the Standing Seam profile use?

A 1.2 mm GALVANISED clip at each support, with 2 screws per clip; the seam then closes over the clip so no fastener penetrates the weather plane. A 0.8 mm clip appears in some older documents — that figure is WRONG and must be corrected to 1.2 mm in any specification. The 990 IBR profile is fixed differently: 3 valley-fixed 14×125 Class-4 sealed tek screws per support.

How do I detail an IBR end-lap?

Either a minimum 150 mm end-lap supported on a flat bar giving at least 50 mm of bearing, or a butt joint over a support using a 1.2 mm galvanised jointing plate. Better still, avoid the lap entirely — panels are available up to 12 m long on request, and a single full-length panel removes the most common leak path and thermal bridge in the roof.

The test report quotes a shear strength of 0.77 MPa — is that right?

No. The executive summary of OTH-T-2309-04 contains a misprint. The tested core shear strength is 0.077 MPa, with a shear modulus of 3.188 MPa. Any design or datasheet carrying 0.77 MPa is out by a factor of ten and must be corrected.

Insulated Roof, Wall & Ceiling Panels

Performance targets

The assembly

The products that do this job

LiteSpan IBR & SS Roof Panels

LiteSpan Ceiling & Wall Panels

Cold Room Panels

PolyCool & SuperCool

Panel Doors

Adhesives & Sealants

Performance data & provenance

LiteSpan load/span design tables (with the XA compliance checker as the thermal cross-check)

Installation

Where not to use this

Project references

Greenhouse Construction – Swiss Project

Managers Unit (Finished Product)

5 Adam Close, Stratford

Rassie Erasmus

PvdW

LiteSpan EPS

Specifier FAQ

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