BS EN 12101: The Smoke Control Standard Family
BS EN 12101 is the European standard family covering smoke and heat control systems. It comprises product specifications, technical reports and draft standards for ventilators, fans, ducts, dampers, panels, power supplies and pressure differential systems.
BS EN 12101 is a family of European standards covering smoke and heat control systems and their components. Different parts of the family deal with different elements: the products themselves, the technical reports that guide design, and standards still in development.
The family is referenced by UK fire safety regulations including Approved Document B, BS 9991 (residential), BS 9999 (non-residential) and the Building Safety Act 2022 framework.
Not all parts are equal
The family includes three types of document:
- BS EN (harmonised European Norms): fully published product specifications. Products can be CE/UKCA marked against these.
- CEN/TR (CEN Technical Reports): design guidance documents. Not product specifications. No CE/UKCA marking against these.
- prEN (provisional European Norms): draft standards still in development. Not yet published.
Specifiers need to know which is which to avoid invalid compliance claims.
Full list of parts
| Part | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BS EN 12101-1 | Smoke barriers | Published |
| BS EN 12101-2 | Natural smoke and heat exhaust ventilators (NSHEVs) | Published |
| BS EN 12101-3 | Powered smoke and heat control ventilators (fans) | Published |
| CEN/TR 12101-4 | Installed SHEVS systems | Technical Report |
| CEN/TR 12101-5 | Functional recommendations and calculation methods | Technical Report |
| BS EN 12101-6 | Pressure differential systems: kits (component level) | Published |
| BS EN 12101-7 | Smoke duct sections | Published |
| BS EN 12101-8 | Smoke control dampers | Published |
| prEN 12101-9 | Control panels | Draft |
| BS EN 12101-10 | Power supplies | Published |
| prEN 12101-11 | Horizontal flow car park ventilation systems | Draft |
| prEN 12101-12 | SHEVS design for time-dependent fires | Draft |
| BS EN 12101-13 | Pressure differential systems: PDS (system level) | Published |
How Parts 6 and 13 work together
The two pressure differential parts cover different aspects:
- Part 6: the assembled PDS kit the manufacturer places on the market (CE/UKCA marked product)
- Part 13: the installed system in the building (design, commissioning, maintenance)
Specifiers sizing a stairwell pressurisation system reference both: -6 to identify a compliant kit, -13 to design and commission the installed system.
Common misconceptions
- Smoke curtains are not covered by EN 12101-5. They are covered by BS 8524 (parts 1 and 2).
- EN 12101-13 is not a smoke control door standard. Smoke control doors are covered by BS EN 1634-3, BS EN 16034 and BS 8214 among others.
- Not every “EN 12101” reference means CE/UKCA marking. Technical Reports (CEN/TR) and drafts (prEN) cannot be marked against.
UK regulatory context
EN 12101 is referenced by:
- Approved Document B of the Building Regulations
- BS 9991: Residential fire safety design
- BS 9999: Non-residential fire safety design
- BS 7346 series: UK codes of practice for smoke control system components
- The Building Safety Act 2022: for higher-risk buildings and the golden thread of information
Explore the parts
Click through to read about each part of the family. Each page covers scope, classification, and how Vent Trade can supply or support compliance.