By the NIPA Palma team
The short answer: the FR version of NIPA synthetic palm thatch has a Class A rating under ASTM E108, tested by Intertek. It means the tested assembly withstood the most severe exposure the standard defines for a fire reaching the roof from outside. It does not mean the roof cannot burn, that a kitchen under the palapa is taken care of, or that the project has its permit. The standard version has no rating.
Behind that answer are three distinctions that help when specifying, and a note on authorities and insurers.
FR version and standard version
Son dos versiones del mismo sistema, con precios distintos. La FR incorpora aditivos que dificultan la ignición y frenan la propagación de la llama, y es la única con Clase A. La estándar no está clasificada y es una opción razonable donde no hay fuego cerca ni una exigencia escrita. Si la decisión empieza por el material de cubierta, nuestra comparación entre palma natural y sintética separa ese criterio de los demás costos y usos.
The two can be combined in the same hotel:
| Situation | Version | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Grill, open kitchen or fireplace under the roof | FR | There is a permanent heat source close to the roof |
| High-occupancy restaurant, bar or lobby | FR | This is where authorities and insurers tend to pay the most attention |
| Adjacent roofs or roofs close to guest rooms | FR | Behavior against burning brands is part of what the test evaluates |
| Written requirement from the insurer or the fire department | FR | The requirement is met with the rated version |
| Isolated kiosk, with no heat sources nearby | Standard or FR | The designer decides |
Tested assembly and the whole building
ASTM E108 does not test a building. A section of roof is built at a defined pitch and subjected to the test methods of the ASTM E108 standard: intermittent flame (to see whether fire penetrates the roof), spread of flame across the surface and a burning brand placed on top, plus flying brands and, for some treated materials, a rain test. Class A is the most demanding of its three classes: the standard describes it as effective against severe fire exposure; B and C correspond to moderate and light exposure.
The result describes that assembly. In a specification, the precise way to name it is: NIPA synthetic palm thatch, FR version, Class A rating under ASTM E108. If your project needs to compare the tested configuration with the one to be built, the test report is the document that shows it, and we share it on request.
Nor does the test assess the timber structure, smoke or evacuation. Those remain part of the project.
Fire from outside and fire under the roof
ASTM E108 simulates a fire that reaches the roof from outside: embers blown from a nearby fire or flame on the roof surface. The standard itself makes this clear: its tests do not provide a basis for determining performance against a fire that starts inside the building. A fire that starts under the roof is a different problem. The grill, a kitchen hood, a chimney that passes through the roof or an electrical installation are solved by design: distance between the heat source and the palm, extraction, protection of duct penetrations and detection.
It also helps to be precise with words. NIPA panels are made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), a combustible material like other common plastics. The FR version delays ignition and slows the flame, but it does not make the roof non-combustible; that is why we do not call it “fireproof”.
Class A is not a permit
The rating is technical evidence. The permit is granted by each country's authority under its own framework: Protección Civil in Mexico, the fire department or the local authority in other countries. The insurer, for its part, sets its conditions by looking at the whole: roof material, detection, suppression and the hotel's protocols.
Some regulations use other criteria. In Colombia, for example, Title J of NSR-10 (section J.3.11) classifies interior finishes by flame spread and smoke development, which is a different question from the one ASTM E108 answers. How the roof is classified under local regulations is defined by the project's fire protection engineer.
If there is already a written requirement
If the insurer or the authority has already asked for something specific, that document is the best starting point. Send it to us with the drawings or a sketch of the areas through the contact form. We will tell you which areas would take the FR version, calculate the panels for each version and share the FR technical documentation with you.
Frequently asked questions
Does synthetic palm thatch burn?
Yes. NIPA panels are made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), a combustible material like other common plastics. The NIPA FR version includes additives that make ignition harder and slow flame spread, and it is classified Class A under ASTM E108. No polyethylene synthetic palm thatch is non-combustible.
Is a US standard valid in my country?
It serves as technical evidence. The project permit is still granted by the local authority, under its own regulatory framework.
What documentation can I give my insurer?
The technical documentation for the FR version, which we share on request. With it, your insurer or fire protection engineer can see what was tested and with what result.
Sources
- ASTM International. ASTM E108: fire test methods for roof coverings (Classes A, B and C). store.astm.org
- Colombian Ministry of Housing, City and Territory. Colombian Earthquake-Resistant Building Code NSR-10, Title J, section J.3.11.
- NIPA Palma. ASTM E108 test report for the FR version, issued by Intertek. Available on request.
