Proof over promise
BAL40 Compliance
Built for Bushfire Country. Tested to Prove It.
Proof over promise
BAL40 Compliance
Built for Bushfire Country. Tested to Prove It.
Why Independent Testing Is the Gold Standard
Testing to AS 1530.8.1 is the sole method to certify that a building material is adherent to the NCC, and it must be carried out by a NATA-accredited testing authority.
Obtaining this level of testing is not standard practice in the industry. It requires significant investment in time and resources, including constructing the test specimen, transporting it, and paying for accredited third-party testing. Most manufacturers simply don’t do it.
Apollo Roofing Solutions doesn’t cut corners. Our test was conducted by Ignis Labs, an independent, NATA-accredited laboratory in Canberra. The results are documented, verifiable, and available.
Why Independent Testing Is the Gold Standard
Testing to AS 1530.8.1 is the sole method to certify that a building material is adherent to the NCC, and it must be carried out by a NATA-accredited testing authority.
Obtaining this level of testing is not standard practice in the industry. It requires significant investment in time and resources, including constructing the test specimen, transporting it, and paying for accredited third-party testing. Most manufacturers simply don’t do it.
Apollo Roofing Solutions doesn’t cut corners. Our test was conducted by Ignis Labs, an independent, NATA-accredited laboratory in Canberra. The results are documented, verifiable, and available.
Proof over promise
We Built a Mini Patio and Took It to Canberra
Rather than test individual panel components in isolation, Apollo Roofing Solutions constructed a mini patio using our insulated panels, built the same way they would be installed on site, and transported it to Ignis Labs, a NATA-accredited testing facility in Canberra.
Our insulated panels feature EPS foam with Unicote steel skins, and are available in thicknesses from 50mm to 200mm. The test specimen was constructed and assessed as a complete, installed system.
During testing, specimens are subjected to an irradiance profile simulating exposure to radiant heat from a rapidly approaching bushfire front, with additional exposure to direct flame impingement from small secondary fires simulating burning debris.
This matters because joints, fixings, junctions, and connection details all affect real-world performance. A panel that passes a material-level test in a lab may still allow ember intrusion, heat transfer, or structural failure through the gaps and edges of an assembled system. Apollo Roofing Solutions needed to know exactly how our panels perform when they’re built the way our customers build them.
The result: our insulated panel system passed AS 1530.8.1 testing at BAL40.
Here's what that means, and why it matters
If you’re specifying or installing in a bushfire-prone area, BAL40 is a designation that dictates what you can use, how it must be built, and what evidence you need to hand a certifier.
Apollo Roofing Solutions doesn’t ask you to take our word for it. We independently tested a fully constructed mini patio at Ignis Labs, a NATA-accredited facility in Canberra, to prove our panels perform as a complete installed system under real-world BAL40 conditions.
Here's what that means, and why it matters
If you’re specifying or installing in a bushfire-prone area, BAL40 is a designation that dictates what you can use, how it must be built, and what evidence you need to hand a certifier.
Apollo Roofing Solutions doesn’t ask you to take our word for it. We independently tested a fully constructed mini patio at Ignis Labs, a NATA-accredited facility in Canberra, to prove our panels perform as a complete installed system under real-world BAL40 conditions.
We did it differently
How Compliance Is Usually Demonstrated
Most manufacturers work from theoretical compliance. They assess their individual materials against the prescriptive requirements of AS 3959:2018 and conclude that their product should comply, based on the properties of the materials used. It is a legitimate pathway under the NCC, but it has limits. A material that performs well in isolation does not always behave the same way as part of a fully assembled, installed system. For a tradie signing off on a BAL40 installation, theoretical compliance puts the risk on you.
Apollo Roofing Solutions took a different path. We physically tested a complete, assembled patio system to AS 1530.8.1, covering BAL12.5 through to BAL40. As far as we know, we are the first in the industry to do so. That means when you specify Apollo for a BAL40 installation, you are backed by a system that has actually been put to the test, not just one that should pass on paper.
The only patio system physically tested to BAL40.
It is worth noting that BAL40 compliance is not achieved by the panel alone. To meet the standard on site, panels must be installed in strict accordance with Apollo Roofing Solutions installation instructions. Deviation from the specified installation method puts that compliance at risk.
We did it differently
How Compliance Is Usually Shown
Most manufacturers work from theoretical compliance. They assess their individual materials against the prescriptive requirements of AS 3959:2018 and conclude that their product should comply, based on the properties of the materials used. It is a legitimate pathway under the NCC, but it has limits. A material that performs well in isolation does not always behave the same way as part of a fully assembled, installed system. For a tradie signing off on a BAL40 installation, theoretical compliance puts the risk on you.
Apollo Roofing Solutions took a different path. We physically tested a complete, assembled patio system to AS 1530.8.1, covering BAL12.5 through to BAL40. As far as we know, we are the first in the industry to do so. That means when you specify Apollo for a BAL40 installation, you are backed by a system that has actually been put to the test, not just one that should pass on paper.
The only patio system physically tested to BAL40.
It is worth noting that BAL40 compliance is not achieved by the panel alone. To meet the standard on site, panels must be installed in strict accordance with Apollo Roofing Solutions installation instructions. Deviation from the specified installation method puts that compliance at risk.
Explainer
What is BAL40?
Australia uses a national rating system called the Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) to measure the risk a building faces from bushfire. A BAL assessment determines the level of bushfire risk to a building site based on the amount of radiant heat the structure may be exposed to in a bushfire, measured in kilowatts per square metre (kW/m²).
The current version of the standard, AS 3959:2018, governs the construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas. When building to a BAL rating, all buildings must meet the general construction requirements of Section 3 of AS 3959:2018, with the BAL assessment determining which additional requirements apply.
There are six BAL levels and BAL40 is the second most severe. BAL40 carries a very high risk rating, with a strong possibility of ember attack and direct exposure to flames, and a heat flux of up to 40 kW/m².
At BAL40, a structure must withstand embers landing on and around it, radiant heat intense enough to ignite surrounding materials, and direct flame contact from smaller secondary fires.
It is important to note that a building constructed in accordance with AS 3959 is not a guarantee it will not be impacted or destroyed by a bushfire, substantially due to the degree of vegetation management, the unpredictable nature and behaviour of fire, and extreme weather conditions. What BAL40 compliance does is significantly reduce the risk of ignition while the fire front passes.
Different BAL Ratings
A BAL40 rating is not something you choose. A qualified assessor determines the rating based on factors outside your control: the type and density of vegetation surrounding the property, how close that vegetation is to the structure, the slope of the land, and geographic location. The rating reflects the level of bushfire attack the structure could realistically face, and once it is assigned, every element of the build must meet the construction requirements for that level.
BAL LOW
Insufficient risk to warrant construction requirements. No special building provisions apply.
BAL12.5
Low risk. Ember attack is possible. Heat flux up to 12.5 kW/m². Basic ember protection measures are required.
BAL19
Moderate risk. Increased ember attack with a chance of burning debris and localised flame contact. Heat flux up to 19 kW/m².
BAL29
High risk. Significant ember attack and burning debris, with the possibility of direct flame contact. Heat flux up to 29 kW/m². More stringent construction requirements apply.
BAL40
Very high risk. Strong likelihood of ember attack, burning debris, and direct flame contact from surrounding vegetation. Heat flux up to 40 kW/m². Construction standards are substantially more demanding.
BAL FZ (Flame Zone)
Extreme risk. Direct exposure to flames from the fire front, in addition to heavy ember attack and burning debris. This is the most severe rating, with heat flux exceeding 40 kW/m².
BAL LOW
Insufficient risk to warrant construction requirements. No special building provisions apply.
BAL12.5
Low risk. Ember attack is possible. Heat flux up to 12.5 kW/m². Basic ember protection measures are required.
BAL19
Moderate risk. Increased ember attack with a chance of burning debris and localised flame contact. Heat flux up to 19 kW/m².
BAL29
High risk. Significant ember attack and burning debris, with the possibility of direct flame contact. Heat flux up to 29 kW/m². More stringent construction requirements apply.
BAL40
Very high risk. Strong likelihood of ember attack, burning debris, and direct flame contact from surrounding vegetation. Heat flux up to 40 kW/m². Construction standards are substantially more demanding.
BAL FZ (Flame Zone)
Extreme risk. Direct exposure to flames from the fire front, in addition to heavy ember attack and burning debris. This is the most severe rating, with heat flux exceeding 40 kW/m².
What This Means on the Tools
When you specify Apollo Roofing Solutions insulated panels for a BAL40 job, you have system-level test evidence, assessed by an independent NATA-accredited laboratory, that the product performs as installed under BAL40 conditions. That is the documentation your certifier needs and the protection you need when you put your name on a job.
If you’re a builder or tradie, it means you can specify Apollo Roofing Solutions panels with confidence, knowing the product you’re installing has been assessed as a complete system under conditions that simulate a real BAL40 fire event.
Building in a BAL40 zone comes with enough complexity. Your roofing specification should not be one of them. Apollo Roofing Solutions panels are independently tested to BAL40, so you can specify with confidence and get on with the job.
To achieve BAL40 compliance, panels must be installed in accordance with Apollo Roofing Solutions installation instructions. Your certifier will require evidence of both the test result and correct installation.