Which documents set the fire rules for fabric in New Zealand?
In New Zealand, fabric on walls and ceilings meets the Building Code's fire clauses, C1 to C6, through an acceptable solution or a verification method published by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. C/AS2 covers most buildings, C/AS1 covers houses and low-rise multi-unit dwellings (risk group SH), and C/VM2 is the verification method fire engineers use.
The second editions of all three took effect on 28 July 2025. The first edition of C/AS2 covered building consent applications submitted before 1 August 2026, so new consents now work from the second editions. The test methods behind every Group Number and flammability index sit in a separate document, the Building Product Specifications, First Edition Amendment 1, effective 2 April 2026.
What Group Number do walls and ceilings need?
C/AS2 sets a maximum Group Number for walls and ceilings by location, and allows a higher number where the space is protected by an automatic fire sprinkler system. A lower Group Number means better fire performance: C/VM2 gives plasterboard as an example of Group 1, many fire retardant treated timbers as Group 2, and ordinary timber products as Group 3.
| Location (C/AS2 Table 4.12.1.1) | Without sprinklers | With sprinklers |
|---|---|---|
| Exitways and Importance Level 4 buildings: walls and ceilings | 1-S | 2 |
| Sleeping spaces where care or detention is provided: walls and ceilings | 1-S | 2 |
| Other sleeping spaces and crowd spaces: ceilings | 2-S | 2 |
| Other sleeping spaces and crowd spaces: walls | 2-S | 3 |
| All other occupied spaces: walls and ceilings | 3 | 3 |
"Other sleeping spaces" excludes the inside of household units. The "-S" suffix adds a smoke condition to the Group Number, and it applies in spaces without sprinklers.
Two exceptions in C/AS2 are useful for fabric. Small areas of non-conforming product within a firecell, up to 5.0 m² in total, are exempt (paragraph 4.12.4.1), which covers many feature panels. Unsprinklered classrooms, passageways and corridors in educational buildings may use 2-S above 1.2 m and Group 3 below it, where the occupant load is under 250 and the firecell is on the ground floor with at least two exitways or final exits (paragraph 4.12.4.2).
Are Australian AS 5637.1 results accepted in New Zealand?
Yes. The Building Product Specifications allow a Group Number to be assigned from an AS 5637.1:2015 classification, and Table 8.5.3.1B converts it directly.
| AS 5637.1:2015 classification | New Zealand Group Number |
|---|---|
| Group 1, smoke growth rate index not more than 100 | 1-S |
| Group 1 | 1 |
| Group 2, smoke growth rate index not more than 100 | 2-S |
| Group 2 | 2 |
| Group 3 | 3 |
| Group 4 | 4 |
A fabric tested for the Australian market therefore carries the same Group Number in New Zealand. The same Building Product Specifications also accept room corner tests, cone calorimeter tests and European BS EN 13501-1 classifications. How Group Numbers work in Australia covers AS 5637.1 and the National Construction Code.
Where can Acunic be used in a New Zealand building?
Each Acunic fabric has its own Group Number under AS 5637.1, from Acunic's fire tests of September 2024 or by weight from them. Cubic Pico, Accentric Crash, Accentric Crinkle, Accentric Soundwave and Optic Braid are Group 1, and the other fabrics, including Optic Structure, Optic Diamond and Volumic Square, are Group 2. Under Table 8.5.3.1B, those are New Zealand Groups 1 and 2.
Australian fire Group Numbers
Read against C/AS2 Table 4.12.1.1, that places every Acunic fabric within the limits for walls and ceilings in every location of a sprinklered building, exitways included. Without sprinklers, every Acunic fabric is within the limit for walls and ceilings in all other occupied spaces, such as offices. For unsprinklered exitways, care and sleeping spaces and crowd spaces, which need 1-S or 2-S, ask OneFrame or AKA Acoustics before specifying. In a house or low-rise dwelling, C/AS1 sets no surface finish requirements (paragraph 4.2.1.1), unless foamed plastics or combustible insulating materials are used.
Fabric wall panels and ceiling sails show the constructions these Group Numbers apply to.
What about curtains and hanging fabric?
C/AS2 rates suspended flexible fabrics separately, by flammability index rather than Group Number. Within all occupied spaces, including exitways, a suspended flexible fabric needs a flammability index of no greater than 12 (paragraph 4.12.5.2), determined by testing to AS 1530.2:1993 (Building Product Specifications, 8.1.3). C/VM2 applies the same limit of 12 in exitways from spaces where people sleep and in occupied spaces within crowd uses (paragraph 4.7.2.6).
For an Acunic curtain or hanging element in New Zealand, ask OneFrame before specifying. Getzner's own curtain systems are on the curtains page, and the Australian rules for curtains set out how the National Construction Code treats them.
Where does Trevira CS fit in?
Every Acunic fabric is woven from Trevira CS, a polyester fibre whose flame retardancy is built into the polymer rather than added as a finish, so it does not wash out. Trevira CS is the fibre, not a fire rating: the Group Number comes from testing the fabric. What Trevira CS is explains the fibre and how its fire performance is tested.
Who supplies Acunic in New Zealand?
OneFrame is the exclusive New Zealand partner for Acunic, the acoustic textile collection woven by Getzner Textil in Austria and distributed in Australia, New Zealand and Asia by AKA Acoustics. OneFrame, an Auckland manufacturer of acoustic, illuminated and printed fabric systems, sends samples and pricing, and details, fabricates and installs Acunic wall panels, ceilings, curtains and freestanding elements. OneFrame states that it can supply technical information and installation details to support specification and consent documentation. Request samples through the samples page, which passes New Zealand requests to OneFrame, or see OneFrame's Acunic collection.
