Curtain walling contractor Schmidlin (UK) Ltd is installing Knauf
Insulation’s new, insulated soffit lining board at BAA’s Heathrow
Terminal 5. Polyfoam® Soffit Linerboard was selected as it provides
the high level of insulation performance and aesthetic appearance
needed and in just one product.
Three essential requirements determined Schmidlin’s choice of
soffit lining solution at ‘T5’. Whatever used would have to provide
a very high level of thermal performance, be finished to complement
the building’s composite cladding and glazing package and lend
itself to BAA’s philosophy of carrying out as much fabrication as
possible off-site. Polyfoam® Soffit Linerboard – a
high-performance, extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam board with a high
strength, fire resistant, decorative cement facing – was chosen as
it met all three requirements. Polyfoam® Insulation is well known
for its excellent thermal insulation properties; the facing colour
selected complements the cladding and glazing perfectly, ensuring
the project’s overall aesthetics are not compromised; and, to
reduce onsite fabrication, the board was cut into a multitude of
individual pieces to meet a comprehensive cutting schedule.
“We needed to insulate the underside of a concrete soffit,”
explained Paul Martin-Jones, Schmidlin’s Project Architect at
Heathrow T5. “It was vital that whatever we used gave the thermal
performance we needed and, at the same time, preserved the design
integrity of the building’s exterior. I’m delighted to say that
Knauf Insulation’s Polyfoam® Soffit Linerboard offered us an ideal
solution and has fully met our expectations.”
There are many occasions when the undersurface of a floor forms
part of the outside surface of a building’s structure. Insulation
has to be provided and, in these circumstances, it’s often more
practical, convenient or desirable to install it on the exposed
soffit. As a protective or decorative finish is also frequently
required, insulated soffit lining boards are a popular solution as
they provide both insulation and exterior surface in one convenient
fix.
Knauf Insulation is the UK’s only manufacturer of both mineral wool
and extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation. To allow designers to
select the best insulation material for their needs, both are
available bonded to a tough, weather resistant, 6 mm thick,
cellulose-fibre reinforced, cement facing board that is also
classed as ‘Class 1’ to BS 476-7: 1997 (Surface Spread of Flame).
The combination of a tough facing material supported by an impact
resistant insulation results in a robust board suitable for all
applications and is ideal for either semi or fully exposed
use.
Polyfoam® Soffit Linerboard uses a layer of Polyfoam® extruded
polystyrene (XPS) to provide a lightweight board with exceptional
thermal performance. In fact, the 114 mm thick board meets the
Elemental U-value target of 0.25W/m2K specified by Part L of the
Building Regulations (Technical Standard J in Scotland) when fixed
to the soffit of a typical suspended concrete floor.
Rocksilk® Soffit Linerboard uses a layer of Rocksilk® rock mineral
wool to provide a board with excellent all-round insulation
performance. Rock mineral wool is justifiably well known for its
outstanding combination of thermal, acoustic and fire insulation
properties making the board perfect for areas where thermal
insulation and either acoustic and, or, fire insulation is needed;
underfloor car parks being a prime example.
For ease of handling and installation, Rocksilk® Soffit Linerboard
is sized at 1200 mm x 600 mm and, to allow large areas to be
quickly covered, the lightweight Polyfoam® Soffit Linerboard is
sized at 2400 mm x 1200 mm. Both boards are available in a range of
thicknesses and a choice of facing finishes to meet aesthetic
requirements.
For further information, please visit www.knaufinsulation.co.uk or
call the enquiries hotline on 08700 668 660 quoting RR 390
05.
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