Agrément South Africa (SA), an agency of the Department of Public Works, managed by the CSIR, awarded 38 fit-for-purpose certificates during the 2015/16 financial year following a rigorous process of testing and evaluation. The certificates were handed over to the 38 industry players at a function held at the CSIR in Pretoria.

For the past 47 years, the CSIR has managed and undertaken the technical assessment work for and on behalf of Agreacute;ment SA using the CSIR laboratories and test site at the Pretoria campus. The CSIR has highly qualified staff members, laboratories and test sites that enhance the agency's work and enable it to achieve its mandate.

Agrément SA evaluates the fitness for purpose of non-standardised construction products, materials and systems against performance-based criteria.

The purpose of an Agrément certification is to assist manufacturers and suppliers of non-standard and innovative building products, materials and systems in the South African market to provide products that are fit-for-purpose.

Some of the materials, products and systems that were awarded the fit-for-purpose certificate include a water tank, two building systems, a composite door frame, a road repair system, a sanitation system and two traffic monitoring systems.

Agrément SA CEO, Joe Odhiambo, says an Agrément SA certification is important because it gives contractors status and legitimacy within the national building industry, reduces risk to the end-user and encourages innovation.

"Agrément SA regulations require, for example, that there must be adequate strength and stability. It stipulates a minimum performance requirement that, if complied with, it would mean the contractor has met the national standard," he says.

Certificate holders meet the requirements of the National Building Regulations in that certification is deemed-to-satisfy requirements. Without such certification, materials, products and systems have to meet the requirements of South African National Standards, which unfortunately, are applicable only to standardised products.

Products that carry a level of assurance inevitably gain greater market acceptance and recognition as end-users have greater confidence in the products and the technical information provided.

"The world is continuously changing and innovation is a constant requirement. New building materials are constantly being developed. The way we build today is completely different from the way we built 50 years ago. The need for a service to help test innovative new building materials, products and systems will remain prominent. In fact, change is happening more rapidly and will be more radical than in the past," concludes Odhiambo.