WESTFIELD, LONDON - PREMIUM INSULATION MEETS PREMIUM RETAIL DEVELOPMENT
Inherent benefits, ranging from ease
of installation through to superior fire performance meant Rocksilk
RainScreen Slab from Knauf Insulation was the ideal choice for
Westfield London, the prestigious retail development in White City,
west London.
Rocksilk RainScreen Slab was used within the
external stone clad façade system and the stone clad stairwell and
elevator areas of the £1.7 billion development, which comprises of
more than 265 stores, nearly 50 restaurants and leisure
facilities.
Taking the sheer size of the development and
the anticipated visitor levels into account, fire safety was key
and the insulation specified needed to reflect this. With rock
mineral wool boasting a Euroclass A1 fire classification to BS EN
ISO 13501-1, the highest classification available, the
non-combustible nature of Rocksilk RainScreen Slab means it will
not give off toxic smoke and will not suddenly ignite in a fire due
to ‘flashover’. Similarly, acoustic performance within such a
large complex is paramount. The sound absorption characteristics of
rock mineral wool made it ideal for use in rainscreen systems and
comply with both sound insulation and sound absorption
requirements.
Rocksilk RainScreen Slab is lightweight and
easy to install and contractors benefited from its superior
workability. Rock mineral wool is quick and easy to cut on site and
is designed to adapt to minor imperfections in a building’s
substructure. This, together with Rocksilk RainScreen Slabs’
natural ability to ‘knit’ together - ensuring intimate contact at
every joint, makes it almost impossible for thermal leakage to
occur, thereby maximising thermal efficiency.
A Westfield spokesperson commented: “The
specification of Rocksilk RainScreen Slab from Knauf Insulation has
provided an array of benefits for both Westfield and our specialist
installing contractor. Given the scale and complexity of the
project we needed an insulation product that was fast and simple to
install, yet had superior fire, acoustic and thermal qualities,
which Rocksilk RainScreen Slab has demonstrated.”