A facade documentation pack is one of those things that only gets attention when it causes a problem. The certifier flags a gap, the builder chases the installer, the installer chases the supplier, and a two-week delay appears out of nowhere. Most of the time, it is not because the right documentation does not exist. It is because nobody assembled it properly in the first place.
This is a practical walkthrough of what goes into a compliant facade documentation pack, what certifiers are actually checking when they review it, and the mistakes that cause the most delays. If you have read our earlier piece on what certifiers need to see, this goes a step further into the assembly process itself.
What goes into a facade documentation pack?
The specifics will vary by project, building class, and the certifier’s requirements. But a well-assembled facade documentation pack generally includes the following nine components. Think of this as a checklist to work through before you submit.
1. Product data sheets Material specifications, dimensions, weight per square metre, alloy grade, and finish type. These are the baseline reference documents that confirm what is actually being installed. Every product in the facade assembly needs one.
2. Fire test reports AS1530.1 for non-combustibility. AS1530.3 for ignitability, flame propagation, heat release, and smoke development. Both need to come from a NATA-accredited laboratory, and both need to be for the specific product being installed, not a generic material of the same type.
3. Weather performance reports AS/NZS 4284 testing covers air infiltration, water penetration, and structural performance under wind pressure. The report should demonstrate that the system has been tested to pressures relevant to the project’s wind region and building height.
4. Structural adequacy Wind load calculations and fixing design, typically prepared by a facade engineer or structural engineer for the specific project. This is project-specific work. A supplier’s generic structural data supports it but does not replace it.
5. Coating and finish certification AAMA 2605 for PVDF coatings, AS 3715 for powder coat. This confirms durability, UV resistance, and colour retention. It matters because a facade that passes every fire and structural test can still fail its obligations if the coating is not fit for purpose.
6. Installation methodology How the system is fixed, what the cavity details look like, how flashings are integrated, and how joints are managed. This is usually a combination of the supplier’s technical manual and the project-specific facade engineering drawings.
7. Maintenance schedule Cleaning frequency, inspection requirements, and any conditions that affect the warranty. Some certifiers require this as part of the handover documentation, especially on Class 2 and 3 buildings.
8. Warranty documentation What the manufacturer covers, for how long, and under what conditions. Certifiers may not always request this, but builders and owners generally expect it in the pack, and it forms part of the building’s ongoing compliance record.
9. Compliance statement This ties everything together. It maps the facade assembly to the relevant NCC requirements, whether through a Deemed-to-Satisfy pathway or a Performance Solution, and references the supporting evidence. Without this, the certifier has a stack of documents but no clear argument for how they add up to compliance.
What are certifiers actually checking?
Having the right documents is one thing. Certifiers are not just ticking a list. They are reading these documents critically, and there are specific things that will stop a submission cold if they are not right.
Is the test report for this specific product? A generic aluminium combustibility report is not evidence that a particular product is non-combustible. The test report must name the product. If the report says “3mm solid aluminium panel” but the product is an interlocking extrusion, that is a mismatch. The certifier will send it back.
Is the testing laboratory NATA accredited? NATA accreditation confirms the laboratory is competent to perform that specific type of test. A test report from a non-accredited lab, or from a lab accredited for different tests, does not carry the weight certifiers need.
Does the report number match the installed product? On larger projects with multiple facade products, it is easy for report references to get crossed. The certifier will check that the report number in the compliance statement matches the actual report, and that the report matches the product on the drawings.
Are the NCC clauses addressed? For non-combustible facades, C2D10 is the key reference under NCC 2022. For energy performance, Section J applies. The compliance statement needs to explicitly reference the clauses being addressed and explain how the evidence satisfies them.
Is there a facade engineering report? Supplier test data covers the product. The facade engineering report covers the application, including wind loads for that specific building, fixing adequacy, movement allowances, and interface details. Certifiers expect to see both.
What are the most common documentation mistakes?
These are the issues that come up again and again, and almost all of them are avoidable.
Submitting generic test reports instead of product-specific ones. This is the single most common problem. A test report for “aluminium alloy 6063” is not a test report for interloQ or element13. Certifiers need to see the product name on the report, matched to the product on the specification.
Missing NATA accreditation details. The test report exists, but the NATA accreditation number is not visible, or the lab is not NATA accredited for that particular standard. This is not something certifiers will overlook.
No facade engineering report. Product test data tells the certifier what the product can do. The facade engineering report tells them it will work on this building, in this location, at this height, with these fixings. Without it, the structural adequacy argument is incomplete.
Submitting test reports without a compliance statement. A common approach is to bundle all the test reports and data sheets and assume the certifier will connect the dots. They will not. The compliance statement is the document that makes the argument. It maps product evidence to NCC clauses and explains the compliance pathway. Without it, the certifier has raw evidence but no structured case.
Forgetting the maintenance schedule. Not every certifier requires it. But enough do, particularly on residential buildings, that leaving it out creates an unnecessary risk of a request for further information at the worst possible time.
How does Valmond & Gibson support the documentation process?
Valmond & Gibson is a facade supplier, not a certifier or engineer. We do not sign off on compliance. What we do is provide the product-side documentation that forms a significant part of the pack, and we make it straightforward to access.
For interloQ, that includes a 38-page compliance pack covering NATA-accredited AS1530.1 and AS/NZS 4284 reports, a 67-page technical manual with installation methodology and specifications, and CAD files for detailing.
For element13, there is a 32-page compliance pack with AS1530.1, AS1530.3, AS/NZS 4284, AAMA 2605, and impact resistance reports, plus a 44-page technical manual.
For the 165CW curtain wall system, the technical manual runs to 188 pages and covers structural design, glazing specifications, installation, and performance data.
All test reports include the NATA laboratory accreditation numbers and specific report references, so they can be directly cited in compliance statements and cross-referenced by certifiers.
If you need documentation for a current project, contact the Valmond & Gibson team directly. We can provide compliance packs, technical manuals, and specification support, and we are happy to walk through what is available and how it fits your submission.
Need documentation for a project now? Download the interloQ Compliance Pack | Download the element13 Compliance Pack | Talk to our team
Related Reading
- Facade Documentation: What Certifiers Actually Need to See
- Evidence of Suitability Under NCC 2022: What Certifiers Actually Need
- AS1530.1 and AS1530.3: What Facade Fire Tests Actually Measure
- The Real Cost of Specification Gaps
Last updated: 3 April 2026