The "Insulation KEYMARK" system is a voluntary Pan-European quality assurance system for the certification of thermal insulation products for buildings and thermal insulation products for industrial applications. It supplements the legal CE marking and has set itself the goal of awarding an independently tested product quality. The ‘KEYMARK’ was established, in 2002, by the European Committees for Standardization CEN and CENELEC on the recommendation of the European Council and documents the conformity of products and services with European standards as a voluntary quality mark. In addition, the certified products are regularly externally monitored. The administration and management of KEYMARK is carried out on behalf of CEN KEYMARK by the Management Organisation (KMO), which is currently run by DIN CERTCO.
The "Quality Assurance Committee (QAC)" is the European certification committee for the "Insulation KEYMARK" certification. It covers all possible declarations of thermal insulation products for which an EN product standard has been published. Within the voluntary scheme, the interested parties prepare all documents relevant to certification and corresponding expert groups control the activities of the empowered certification bodies and the registered testing bodies. In 2011, a cooperation agreement between CEN and VDI (Verein Deutscher Ingenieure, Gesellschaft für Energie und Umwelt - Association of German Engineers, Society for Energy and the Environment) was able to merge the quality assurance system "monitored according to VDI 2055" (for technical insulation materials) with the KEYMARK system.
The European KEYMARK certification scheme for insulating materials was currently revised and released by the KMO on 23 September 2019 in the version "VDI/KEYMARK Scheme Rules 2.1, 2019-09" and thus meets the general requirements of the KEYMARK system.
Since the merger of “VDI-AG Gütesicherung für technische Dämmstoffe” with the European KEYMARK, the secretariat of QAC had been run by VDI. Now and due to internal developments the VDI had to handover the secretariat to another independent body.
With the European EiiF Foundation, based in Gland in Switzerland, the QAC members found a new, independent and non-profit partner in the insulation industry: "We are looking forward to a successful and European wide well connected cooperation with the EiiF Foundation", says Roland Schreiner, co-chairman of the QAC. “At the same time, with the EiiF on board and its secretariat in Switzerland, it demonstrates the pan-European spirit in all its neutrality”, highlights Piet Vitse, co-chairman. "For us, as the EiiF, the engagement for the "Insulation KEYMARK" is a consistent step towards initiating improved energy efficiency in industry. We know how important it is that an installed insulation product keeps its promised good quality to deliver the best energy and CO2 savings," adds Luis López Brunner, Technical Director of the EiiF.
