A Paragon of Energy Efficiency
01 Mar 2007
Knauf Insulation - the UK's leading manufacturer of glass and
rock mineral wool, extruded polystyrene (XPS) and extruded
polyethylene (XPE) insulation – has joined forces with private
developer Berkeley First through the production of its Paragon
development for Thames Valley University.
Building work started on the project in summer 2004 to provide
much-needed accommodation for nursing and midwifery students, and
the teaching accommodation will become the new home for the
University’s Faculty of Health and Human Sciences – the largest
healthcare faculty in the UK.
Knauf Insulation supplied 2,100m² of 115mm Rocksilk RainScreen Slab
to the outside of development, which comprises of 840 study
bedrooms, 221 key worker flats and 12,000m² of teaching areas and
offices, as part of a rainscreen cladding system.
Knauf Insulation’s Rocksilk RainScreen Slab is a water repellent
rock mineral wool slab designed to provide thermal insulation and
fire protection when used in rainscreen cladding applications
including timber, terracotta and glass. Rainscreen cladding systems
typically comprise outer cladding panels that are fixed to a
supporting framework of rails which are then supported by cleats
fixed back to the building structure.
The lightweight and rigid properties of Rocksilk RainScreen Slab
also allow ease of fixing to the exterior wall while the slab’s
water repellence helps to defend against rain penetrating the
building’s structure. Rainscreen cladding solutions can offer
savings on building insurance and energy bills by creating a
complete insulation envelope around the structure.
What’s more, individual packs of Rocksilk RainScreen Slabs are
compression packed together in Knauf Insulation’s innovative
packaging method, Supakube, which uses advanced compression
technology and strong packaging materials ensuring the product is
easy to transport and store. Knauf Insulation introduced Supakube
in May 2004 and it has revolutionised the way insulation is
delivered, unloaded and stored in the UK and Ireland.
Robin Lackey from Berkeley First, said: “The Paragon development
brought an under-utilised site back into positive use. Knauf
Insulation’s Rocksilk RainScreen Slab was the obvious choice for
our development as it’s easy to handle and install, with the
Supakube packaging system enabling us to easily store and move it
about on-site. Knauf Insulation was able to offer unrivalled
technical support and advice through its skilled sales force and
technical advisory centre.
Andy Tichy, Divisional Specification Manager at Knauf Insulation,
said: “Rocksilk RainScreen Slab is a very popular product within
our Rocksilk range as it is able to adapt to minor imperfections in
the main structure ensuring the insulation envelope is always
complete. This ensures that building owners make the maximum saving
on energy bills and keep their buildings cooler in the summer and
warm in the winter.”
Editor's Notes:
Customer Contact Tel: 08700 668 660
(ref: RU08607) Fax: 0870 400 5797 Email: info@knaufinsulation.com
Notes to editors: Knauf Insulation is the UK’s leading manufacturer
of insulation products, and the only producer of four types of
insulation: glass mineral wool rock mineral wool, extruded
polystyrene (XPS) and extruded polyethylene (XPE) in the UK under
the brand names; Crown®, Rocksilk® and Polyfoam®. In the UK, the
company employs around 500 people at its four manufacturing plants
at St Helens, Queensferry, Cwmbran and Hartlepool. Knauf Insulation
is part of the Knauf Group – a global corporation delivering
products and services including: building materials and systems
based on gypsum and gypsum-related products, thermal insulation,
sound insulation and fire protection materials, limestone and lime
products, chalk and cement related products and plant engineering.
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