This page preserves a PM552 terracotta-panel record published in November 2016 and reframes it as an environmental-documentation guide. “Natural clay” and “eco-friendly” are not complete environmental conclusions. A useful assessment must identify the current product and plant, define the comparison boundary, and review applicable technical, life-cycle, logistics and facade-system evidence.
The article is intentionally narrower than the main Terracotta Rainscreen page: it focuses on how to read the dated PM552 fields and what information a project team should request before making a material-impact claim.
Archived PM552 product and commercial record
The following values are retained for traceability. The third column explains what must be checked before any value is used on a current project.
| 2016 field | Archived value | Current-use boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Item / model | PM552 | Use as a legacy reference; confirm that the code remains active and refers to the same body and finish. |
| Size | Customized | No dimensions were stated. Confirm available module, maximum/minimum geometry, tolerances, corners and fixing interface. |
| Color | MIX | Approve current samples, an acceptable color range, pattern distribution and batch-control method. |
| Surface finish | 3D Inkjet | Confirm the present manufacturing route, surface build-up, pattern repeat and compatibility with the selected panel. |
| Material | Natural Clay | A raw-material description does not establish life-cycle impact, emissions, ingredients, recycled content or end-of-life outcome. |
| Weight | 31 kg/m² | The source cites no test method, tolerance or product configuration. Obtain current declared weight for structural and logistics work. |
| Water absorption | Less than 0.5% | The source cites no standard, specimen, laboratory or report. Require current scoped technical evidence before relying on this value. |
| Thickness | 18 mm | Confirm the current section, cavity/profile, local tolerances and fixing compatibility; do not transfer it to another item. |
| Minimum order | 1,500 m² | A historical commercial term only. Request a current quotation for the selected surface, module, quantity and schedule. |
| Lead / delivery time | 35 days | A historical estimate only. Current timing depends on approval, production, quantity, packing, destination and logistics. |
| Legacy certification text | CE, ISO 9001:2008 | Not presented as current. Request the applicable product document and current management-system certificate, each with holder, scope, site, issuer and validity. |
| Legacy order route | Order button enabled to old `/contact-us/` URL | Use the current Contact page for project requests. |
Preserved printed-surface references
Readable legacy item references on the board:
These finishes take visual cues from stone; they are not quarried stone. Review color, sheen, relief, printed repeat, joint layout and viewing distance on the actual terracotta surface. A single swatch is useful for initial review, while a larger repeated mock-up is needed to judge pattern distribution and facade scale.
Define environmental evidence before comparing materials
Product and plant identity
Match every file to the selected item, body, surface, dimensions, manufacturing site and data period. A company statement or another product’s document cannot fill a PM552 evidence gap.
Life-cycle boundary
If an EPD or LCA-based declaration is available, check programme operator, validity, declared unit, product coverage, life-cycle modules, scenarios, geography and underlying rules before comparing results.
Material and production data
Ask which ingredients and processes are included, what primary data period is represented and whether surface printing changes the product under review. “Natural clay” alone is not an impact calculation.
Packaging and transport
Use current packed quantity and weight, breakage allowance, crate or pallet data, manufacturing origin, route, transport modes and replacement deliveries for the actual order.
Service and maintenance
Define inspection, access, cleaning, repair, replaceability and spare-unit strategy for the complete facade. Do not insert an unverified lifespan, “maintenance free” claim or permanent color promise.
End-of-life scenario
Distinguish theoretical material possibilities from realistic project routes. Connections, contamination, separation, local infrastructure and the stated assessment scenario determine what can be credited.
No EPD value, carbon figure, recycled-content percentage, production-energy number, service life or recovery rate is asserted here. If a current document is unavailable, record that limitation instead of replacing it with “eco-friendly.”
Separate the visible panel from facade-system performance
A rainscreen panel works with clips, rails, brackets, joints, cavity, insulation, air-and-water control layers, flashings, fire stopping and the supporting wall. Structural, wind, impact, moisture, thermal, fire, acoustic and durability requirements must be established for the proposed configuration and jurisdiction.
The archived weight and water-absorption fields do not establish those outcomes. Request current product data and applicable reports, then coordinate calculations, details, samples and project testing with the facade consultant, engineer and other qualified project professionals.
- Current product data for the exact item, body, surface, module and fixing route
- Complete test reports with standard editions, specimens, laboratories, dates, results and acceptance criteria
- Current declarations or environmental disclosures, where available, with their explicit scope and validity
- Current company/product certificates relevant to the project, without treating management certification as product impact data
- Manufacturing-source, packing, transport and replacement-delivery information for the order
- Facade-system drawings, calculations, mock-up requirements, maintenance guidance and replacement strategy
An application image, not a verified project record
The legacy article also proposed many exterior, interior, transport, underground, roof, ceiling and clean-environment uses without supporting approvals. Suitability for any such application must be assessed separately for exposure, substrate, fixing, hygiene or emissions criteria, cleanability, access, fire strategy, structural actions and applicable codes.
Browse the Architectural Terracotta Gallery for identified project references; a precedent still does not transfer its engineering or environmental result to a new building.
Request current PM552 or related surface information
Send the project location, elevations, target module and surface, estimated quantity, required standards, requested environmental documents, delivery destination and programme. Ask whether PM552 and the archived item references remain manufacturable before using them in a specification.