"internal wall coatings"

The Royal Armouries is the national museum of arms and armour, and the guardian of a unique collection of over 8,500 objects displayed across five themed galleries at its Leeds museum, some of which have transformed the world as we know it.As well as the museum and exhibition spaces, the Royal Armouries also provides conference and theatre facilities to hire for public, theatrical or corporate events.One such facility, the Bury Theatre, with an audience capacity of 100, was receiving damage to the lobby and entrance doors from the footfall of people, being further exacerbated with the movement of technical and performance equipment.Stephen Cohen, Building Contract Manager at the Royal Armouries, took time to explain:“We strive to offer a high-quality visitor experience throughout our organisation and after the floods that affected some of the building in 2015, the Bury Theatre had undergone a minor refurbishment.“As part of the project we decided to improve the look of the fire doors in the theatre lobby and auditorium area which had suffered some marking and damage. As an organisation that receives funding, sponsorship and public donations it is important we invest stakeholder’s money wisely and so we were looking for a product that would also damage-proof the doors for the future, eliminating the need for further repair and replacement costs.”Yeoman Shield were able to provide such a product in the form of their fire rated door protection systems which were installed by their own directly employed operatives.Full height, 2.0mm thick FalmouthEx door protection panels were fitted to the outer doors in graphite grey. Door edge protectors were added to the clashing and hinged edges to protect these vulnerable parts from damage that could impede the functioning of the door in the event of a fire.The theatre’s internal doors also received full height protection panels and door edges, this time in black to suit the requirements of the auditorium.All Yeoman Shield’s door protection products are fire rated and have been tested to the current standard required.“We are very pleased with the outcome of the Yeoman Shield door protection installed. Having received favourable feedback from members of the team we hope to roll out the product to other areas of the building in due course”. commented Mr Cohen.For more information on Yeoman Shield’s wall & door protection products go to www.yeomanshield.com or call 0113 279 5854.

Walsall College is the largest provider of qualifications for 14-to 19-year-olds in the West Midlands Borough of Walsall. In addition, it also provides education and training for adults, which is delivered both at the college campuses and on-site at workplaces and community centres. In total, more than 11,000 people study vocational technical qualifications, apprenticeships and higher education programmes with the college each year.Its main Wisemore Campus was built in 2009 following a multi-million-pound investment programme designed to provide a vibrant, lively environment that inspires and motivates students. The state-of-the-art facility includes bespoke areas for studying business, creative arts, computing, health, public services and automotive.As is the nature of modern building design, the Wisemore Campus features many hard interior surfaces such as plastered walls, glazed partitions, large windows and carpet-tiled floors. Despite being integral to creating a visually appealing, energy-efficient, safe, secure and comfortable learning environment.Hush Acoustics were invited to carry out a site survey in these relatively poor acoustic environments by Lee Bate, Head of Operational Services. He sought to find an effective response to a large number of complaints from college users in relation to noise in these areas of the building, chiefly as a result of sound reverberation, echo and ambient noise. These issues are known to affect the concentration, focus and engagement of students and staff in schools, colleges and universities, so Walsall College were keen to take the necessary action.The learning pods are used for online training, enabling students to participate and collaborate in Zoom and Teams calls or simply access a quiet area to work. Due to the construction of these rooms, there was a significant acoustic issue that could only be addressed by the introduction of a Class A sound absorber. These would prevent noise reflecting back into the room, which was the cause of the issue.The boardroom presented similar issues. It also features many hard reflective surfaces which were causing it to be very echoey, especially during conference calls and training sessions. To reduce the issue here, a number of Class A absorbers would also need to be installed.Step one was for Hush Acoustics to conduct a site survey. This allowed information to be gathered in order to carry out a series of reverberation calculations with a view to determining how sound absorbers could be used in the affected spaces to control and reduce reverberation and echo.The solution came with Hush Absorber 50 panels installed to the ceilings and walls. These Class A absorber panels utilise a specially formulated 50mm thick acoustic foam, hand finished with interior fabric that is applied to the face, edges and back return. They are designed to fit on any alignment and angle including slopes and ceiling in both portrait and landscape, with a choice of stylish and visually pleasing designs available in sizes, colours and finishes to suit any internal environment.Hush Absorber 50 panels have been highly effective in controlling the problem noise within the areas, dampening the sound issue with a level of absorption material that complies with the design guidance of BB93.The transformation of the learning pods and boardroom has been a great success according to Walsall College’s Head of Operations for the campus, Lee Bate. He said:“We are delighted with the difference the Hush Absorber 50 panels make and the service from Hush. We are extremely happy with how the areas are instantly more comfortable to work from and the panels look good in the spaces they have been installed.”

Safeshield XT Reflect A2-s1, d0 fire rated wall membrane was used in the recladding of the Genting Casino, Premier and Holiday Inns.RIVERLIGHTS DERBY, MORELEDGEA complete re-cladding on the exterior of the Genting Casino, Premier Inn, Holiday Inn, part of the Riverlights location in Derby city centre, including Safeshield XT Reflect A2-s1, d0 fire rated construction membrane.Oakleigh Contracts were chosen to undertake this large-scale project, their first re-cladding project of this size, with technical input from Permavent to ensure the correct technical specifications were achieved. Genting Casinos are a large chain of popular gaming destinations with locations across the UK and America. The property owner of the Riverlights location decided to take no risks with their new cladding, in an effort to protect people and the building in the face of the recent issues with fire spreading through and behind exterior cladding. They chose to change the existing boards to non-combustible alternatives and added Safeshield XT Reflect A2-s1, d0 fire rated construction membrane to the walls under the new boards. Safeshield was chosen for it’s high fire rating, adding another layer of protection against fire behind the cladding and inside the cavity, but also for its superior thermal properties. Safeshield XT Reflect’s reflective technology allows for greater energy efficiency in the building as it reflects heat, decreasing the emissivity of the wall cavity and reducing energy loss. Oakleigh Contracts also praised Safeshield for it’s easy and intuitive installation, as well as being extremely robust both during and after installation

Altro is at the birth of a new designIssueTwenty-five years since its last refurbishment, the maternity Delivery Suite at the Royal Cornwall Hospital was in need of a revamp. The new facility has been created to ensure mothers, babies and families have a home-fromhome experience, but in a clinical and psychologically safe environment. The maternity Delivery Suite comprises of nine delivery rooms and also includes a high dependency unit. With these very high traffic areas, robust, yet good looking interior design products were a must.ApproachThe team wanted to bring an essence of Cornwall into the space to evoke the calming influence of the sea and the natural world, but needed a solution with proven clinical credentials in safety, hygiene and maintenance.“Every staff member in the maternity department was asked to submit their ideas for the new space, their vision, both practically and visually,” said Zoe Nelson, Acute Maternity Matron at the hospital. “Our Estates Department Manager, Duncan Clift, recommended Altro, because he has used them before in the hospital with great success and trusts their products.”SolutionThe Royal Cornwall Hospital chose Altro Wood and Altro Pisces safety floors in colours to represent sand. For the walls, they selected Altro Whiterock Satins in ocean hues to mirror the sea, and Altro Fortis Titanium wall protection in Pearl and Battleship to replicate rocks. Altro Whiterock Digiclad (Custom) was used to portray wall art of Cornish ocean scenes. The result is a beautiful environment that promotes a relaxing birthing experience for mother and baby.

Armourcoat's 3D Sculptural wall has been specified for innovative healthcare practitioners One Stop Doctors clinic in Hemel Hempsted by luxury interiors specialists Goddard Littlefair.The client design brief was to create a high-end service environment that communicated the calm, soothing and welcoming feel of a patient-centric experience. Bespoke furniture,a Goddard Littlefair design signature element, is used throughout in a range of high-end materials, including velvet, leather and suede in a spectrum of browns, slates, taupes, blues, purples and greys. To complement this, a feature wall of Armourcoat's Sculptural 'Flow Wave' provides the backdrop to the clinic's stunning reception space. Lighting was an important part of the mix, creating features with natural and artificial light. Reflected and diffuse light create moments of drama and art throughout the interior.Armourcoat Sculptural creates seamless wall surfaces with impactful designs and cast relief. Each design is created from cast GRG (Glass-fibre reinforced gypsum) panels, CAD generated to enable a continuous pattern of unique decorative effect.The state-of-the-art centre is the first of eight planned clinics to be located around the M25 corridor area. "We are not looking for the usual clinical healthcare design", One Stop Doctors CEO Ella Tracey commented, "but wanted a designer who could share our vision for creating an ambience that was relaxed, reassuring and tranquil, very comfortable and also aesthetically beautiful. Staff, visitors and patients alike are so impressed with the elegance of the design and the attention to detail, but also appreciate the feeling of warmth and comfort that it creates" Photography © Gareth Gardner

Radii create a bespoke glass partition system design for BCG Digital Ventures, with new dies manufactured especially for the project at our in-house manufacturing facilities.Previously, Radii had worked at 80 Charlotte Street for BCG to produce a stunning timber-framed partition system across 257 meeting rooms and offices in the floors directly above the Digital Ventures site. This new installation was designed to match our original work for BCG and create a synergy throughout the space — but with aluminium framework used in place of timber.The final installation used 100mm wide single glazed partitions and joinery with consistent mullion details. Furthermore, bespoke dies were also created for black powder coated aluminium light portals that were installed around some partitioning elements with integrated LED lighting.Radii also provided some fire rated glazing from the FirePro range, certified up to Ei120 rating for screens and Ei90 for doors.

Roof with a message... CHALLENGEFor the renovation of the arena Antwerp Sports Palace the architect wanted to design a roof that gave a message. From the air people should see an “A” appearing. This A would be the A of the county Antwerp and not the A from the city Antwerp. Also with the possibility to have (solar) energy production installed on the roof. SOLUTION Six new colours within the RENOLIT ALKORPLAN roofing range were developed specially for this prestigious project. The existing green coloured synthetic roof was used as substructure. The whole roof received extra insulation (thermal and acoustic) and the new RENOLIT ALKORPLAN roofing membranes were mechanically fastened following an installation plan. All the membranes for the Antwerp Sports Palace not only had a special colour but also a special finish with an invisible protective coating. All membranes have excellent fire resistance for roofs with a higher slope. On the south side of the roof amorphous solar panels were installed upon the RENOLIT ALKORPLAN roofing membranes. 

A Shading Revamp for ICC WalesThis was a project in which both functionality and aesthetics played a large role. It was important that the shading system installed not only provided a professional aesthetic, but also could boast robust performance.This particular project shows Umbra's top of the range automation systems at their best, the ability to power a whole room of blinds at the press of a button is one that suits large office spaces perfectly.Besides the automation aspect, the KuroLok blackout blinds themselves suited the professional and stylish nature of the project with ease. Self-Zipping edges mean that the blind itself never falls out of the side channels, thus eliminating unwanted light leaks, and the high quality, full blackout fabric provided the privacy and security the project needed.The slim side channels of KuroLok and Umbra's in house powder coating services meant that the blinds matched the style of the room flawlessly providing a professional look.

Market Estate is situated next to Caledonian Park in the London Borough of Islington. It is named after the Metropolitan Cattle Market, opened by Prince Albert in 1855 as an alternative to Smithfield. A major redevelopment includes a mix of residential units. As part of this scheme, significant improvements were made to Caledonian Park: planting new trees and relaying paths.A Modena railing fence surrounds the formal landscaping and a children’s play area within the park and encloses an additional garden to the North.Over 450m of standard and radiused fencing was supplied with double-leaf and pedestrian gates. A pair of bespoke gates were designed and manufactured to hang within stone pillars with a section of Modena-XL, 3m high fencing, to either side. This forms an impressive entrance towards the Victorian Clock Tower, the clock is noted for being a prototype for Big Ben.Finish: hot-dip galvanised & polyester powder coat – Mica Grey

Lang+Fulton have supplied Terra-34 balustrade panels, open mesh flooring, stair treads and louvred screening for escape stairs at three new buildings at Milton Park, Oxfordshire.There were five stair towers in total, 10.7m and 15m high, also designed to provide access to service facilities. The stair treads were manufactured from a heel-proof open mesh grating EF-15x76; the balustrade panels were made using Terra-34 which is an anti-climb architectural grating.The Italia-80 louvres effectively screen all the service ducting and were supplied with demountable panels with D-handles for inspection points at each landing and ground level. The result was a smart solution in keeping with the high specification of the development.The balustrading, stair treads and flooring were hot-dip galvanized; the louvres were supplied with an additional polyester powder coating RAL7016.

Holland Park is one of the UK"s first and most famous comprehensive schools. At a cost of £81m it was financed by selling off part of the original school site to finance the building of the new six-storey school for 1,500 pupils.Situated within a Conservation Area and adjacent to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s largest park, the balustrade fencing was chosen to reflect the prestigious nature of the new school's striking façade of copper, brass and bronze that adds character to the building and was designed to integrate with the heavily wooded nature of the site.The balustrade was designed as a modified version of Lang+Fulton's Novara-34 anti-climb fencing. The grating panels feature a narrow 34mm aperture which is particularly suitable for schools. The installation included a stepped area and an elevated walkway which required face plate fixings engineered to cope with a parapet application.Fencing and posts were supplied in a hot-dip galvanized and polyester powder coated finish.

SFS have partnered with a leading building envelope contractor,  on the construction of two iconic towers in the heart of Birmingham, one clad in brass, the other silver. The buildings will transform the city's skyline and deliver a mix of luxury apartments and retail space. The striking Left Bank development, in Birmingham's popular West End, will create the tallest exclusively residential building in Britain's second largest city.Alucoil larson® ACM FR - Brass Brushed panel, with a fire-rated mineral core, was chosen for the façade. This drained and back-ventilated rainscreen cladding system for Tower 1 is being fitted with an NVELOPE® bracket and rail system and powder-coated SLA3 frame fasteners, SLA5 fasteners, as well as SX3 and SX5 A4 (grade 316) stainless steel fasteners from SFS. The choice of surface finishes for the envelope demanded high quality fastening solutions that would stand the test of time, and perfectly complement the crucial aesthetic goals.

During the core renovation of the Frankfurt office tower, the Lindner Group was entrusted with the complete basic fit-out and one of the tenant fit-outs. In addition tocarrying out various drywall works, high quality raised floors and energy-efficient heated and chilled ceilings were installed in combination with lighting systems fromLindner. High-quality wooden doors from Lindner’s own production, related joinery work, as well as flexible system glass partitions complete the construction package. Lindner also carried out plastering and painting work as well as tile, coating and flooring work, and additional installation services.Despite numerous challenges such as (heritage-protected) construction in existing buildings and the high logistical effort involved, the vision of a modern office tower wassuccessfully realized. Thanks to sustainable construction systems and building services combined with effective thermal insulation measures, the Global Tower is set tobe awarded with the DGNB Platinum certification.

Resopal Hickory and Silver Oak Woodgrain were selected for this project to give warmth and character to four single room new build/refubishments. The two tone composition of the stroage wall added depth and scale to the whole space, giving it a welcome feel and a sense of 'accommodation' than being 'hospital-like'.

An ambitious £37.5 million Littleport complex comprising special educational needs (SEN) and primary schools, an Academy and a leisure centre. Rockfon ceilings, baffles and wall panels are installed throughout. Rockfon products were chosen because they offer excellent sound control, Class A1 fire safety and durability.

A world-class space for sport, events, and education using out Topperfo Micro perforated panels. The indoor sports facility has utilised one of our wall systems to combat sound reverberation, voice intelligibility and to lower the sound pressure levels typically created in such a large hard surfaced area.

Homeowner and self-builder Marianne was able to draw on the right help, expertise, and best products – including ROCKWOOL insulation – to realise her dream.ROCKWOOL Timber Frame Slab used for this project is a durable non-combustible stone wool slab that provides thermal, non-combustible insulation for walls and roofs. 

Part of the Clyde Gateway regeneration scheme, Topgolf is a start-of-the-art golfing facility recently completed by Ashfield Land, Cooper Cromar, Luddon Construction and J&D Pierce. Taylor Maxwell were pleased to supply their exclusive Stonepanel stone cladding system alongside reconstituted walling stone to the facade.

Caton Court, part of the wider Lawson’s Quay site, is currently being built by Eric Wright Construction for the developer Hines UK, while Preston based LDG Contracts is the specialist fabricator which chose to utilise the Technal MX curtain wall and FY65 window systems for the first phase of the project.

The café/restaurant building acts as a focal point for the Felixstowe South Seafront regeneration. The site lies in close proximity to the Martello Tower P, which is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and Grade II Listed Building. The roof and walls use QUARTZ-ZINC and PIGMENTO zinc in both standing and Adeka panels

Project: Knightsbridge Gate, 55-91 KnightsbridgeClient: APML EstateMain contractor: Sir Robert McAlpineArchitects: Dixon Jones Architects (lead), Richard Griffiths Architects (conservation including shopfronts design) and MSMR Architects (residential interior design)Installer: Atlantic Contracts (shopfront design and installation), Richard Gent (glazier)In the world of retail, a Knightsbridge address is about as desirable as it gets, which is why so many brands choose to locate their flagship stores on the famed central-London street.For the designers of Knightsbridge Gate, a landmark mixed-use development that occupies an entire block of the street, providing the best possible shopfronts for the retailers that will occupy the scheme’s ground floor was a top priority. So, choosing the right glazing was paramount.While most of the building has been newly constructed, the 120-metre-long Edwardian street-facing façade has been retained, along with its 17 glazed shopfronts. The glazing for each of the frontages is held in place by decorative oak frames that have been carefully re-created according to the original design.Letting window displays shineTo ensure that the units look their best, the designer selected Pilkington OptiView™ Protect OW anti-reflective glass for the street-level glazing.Coatings on the outer faces of the laminated glass reduce its reflectivity to around 2%, compared with around 8% for standard, un-coated glass. The result is that views into the shopfronts are almost entirely un-interrupted by reflections, even on bright days, ensuring that retailers’ window displays are shown off to the best effect.To give further clarity, the glass is Pilkington Optiwhite™ low-iron glass that is almost entirely free from colouration.Rachel Scannell at APML Estate said: “The aim with the retail units at Knightsbridge Gate was to create spaces that the most prestigious brands in the world would be happy to choose in order to display their offerings. The glazing is, of course, a key part of this.“The anti-reflective glass from Pilkington UK is often used by galleries and museums to display priceless artworks and artifacts without compromising on detail, so the retailers that call Knightsbridge Gate home will enjoy the same benefits.”Crafted to lastAdding to the aesthetic appeal of the glazing is the complex shape of the panes that make it up, including a large, curved edge at the top of the central pane in each shopfront. Pilkington UK engineers worked closely with the carpenters to precision cut each pane of glass to ensure a perfect fit.The shop front windows are as tough as they are beautiful as they consist of two panes of glass laminated together with a strong polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayer. This ensures the glazing can stand up to all the forces that may be thrown at it, from wind-loading to any attempts to smash the glass.Due to the anti-reflective coating being applied at a high temperature when the glass was being made, it is highly scratch-resistant, ensuring its clean and clear appearance will last for many years to come.Peter Maj, business development manager at Pilkington United Kingdom Limited, part of the NSG Group, said: “By selecting Pilkington OptiView™ for this project, the designers have demonstrated that it is the product of choice for retail applications where the glazing will be under the utmost scrutiny and needs to look its best.”Along with the shop-fronts, Pilkington UK also supplied 300 m² of Pilkington Optiphon™ OW acoustic glass, which has been used throughout the offices and apartments on the upper five floors of the building to provide noise-reducing secondary glazing.

Architect: AtkinsInstaller: Vitec Ceilings and PartitionsProduct: Gustafs Linear RibA small but perfectly executed project at 75m2, the new Bracknell Forest Council chambers at the Times Square building in Berkshire is clad with Gustafs Linear Ribs to the ceiling and feature wall.The plain white ceiling ribs are organised into multiple square rafts across the space installed in alternating directions and interspersed with traditional ceiling tiles, lighting, and vents.The split feature wall which stands either side of the speakers’ podium and main panel desks is made up of a mixture of natural Oak and Bamboo veneer and painted ribs installed with irregularly positioned 45° angled joints.The ribs were delivered oversized and cut to size on site, the mitre joints were also cut on site by Vitec and joined using extra-long installation clips to keep the joint inline and give the illusion of a dip-dyed rib.

Gloucester’s dock area today provides a vibrant retail, leisure and residential district. The transformation of the derelict dock area started in 2009. As part of the multi-million pound redevelopment, known as Gloucester Quays, Tata Steel has supplied a wide range of its building envelope products to build the Morrisons supermarket.A solution incorporating Tata Steel’s Trisomet® and Trimapanel® insulated roof and wall cladding systems was chosen to build the Gloucester Quay’s supermarket for Wm Morrisons.Close involvement with the cladding contractor helped to deliver the robust detailing criteria and the air-tightness requirements. Longer length Trisomet® insulated panels supplied with Colorcoat HPS200 Ultra® were installed on the roof area to reduce end laps and increase the speed of the installation, and for the wall elevations a combination of Trisomet® and Trimapanel® insulated panels were supplied manufactured from Colorcoat HPS200 Ultra® pre-finished steel.

Situated in the heart of the business district of Salford this seven story project offers 125,000 sq ft of state of the art office space. With the contribution of Aluprof's high performance capless curtain wall system, the project meets the latest BREEAM "Excellent" (2018) specification. Architect: AHR Main Contractor: Bowmer & Kirkland

The original Ironmonger Row Baths site was built in the 1930s with swimming pool and traditional style bathing house of hot rooms and cold plunge in the basement. These facilities were completely upgraded in 2012 with saunas and steam rooms added.  In January 2022, the basement spa was destroyed by a fire. A complete restoration of the area was required of the builder’s work, fabric and services and Sauna360 UK was honoured to be commissioned to design and install all wellness areas. In January 2024 the "bathing house" re-opened to a wonderful reception.There has been a transformation of the area and a feeling of space, tranquillity and relaxation. Huge full height tiles adorn the walls throughout. Longitudinal floor tiles subtly take the eye to the glass fronted Salt sauna at one end and the backlit image and relax zone the other.  On arriving from the changing area the guest has a choice of contemporary facilities of saunas, aroma steam rooms, feature showers and ice to the left or traditional hot rooms, cold plunge and massage slabs to the right with large relaxation areas in the centre.  In the contemporary zone there are two large saunas: The Juniper Sauna This sauna  is operated at 75-85C with automatic infusion for a medium humidity. To the front a Juniper wall provides a beautiful detail with its own natural spicy aroma.  Behind the benches, and hidden within the wall, are Infra red panels. These allow the room to be operated in separate sessions at a lower temperature 40-45C with the benefits of IR bathing.The Salt Sauna The Salt Sauna is hot (85-95C) and dry like a traditional Finnish sauna and provides the ideal environment for the large salt wall. The impressive sauna has the height for a third bench in the hottest zone. The glass front allows the backlit salt wall and attractive finishes to be viewed from outside and the feeling of space appreciated from within. The Aroma Steam Room This opulent room has copious amounts of steam infused with seasonally changing essence. The stunning, large format, dark marble tiles are paired with subtle underbench lighting to create a relaxing ambience. Inclined backrests are used for ultimate comfort.Salt Inhalation Steam Room Contrasting beautifully with Aroma Steam Room, this thermal experience infuses the area with a mint or lemon essence to complement the automated salt spray within the steam environment for enhanced inhalation benefits.Completing the area are two Feature showers with warm and cool programs using essence plus a Cool room with ice feature and icy mint spray.Infrared Benching In the central area there is a long Recliner bench in ergonomic ceramics with gentle Infra red heating plus an expansive relaxation zone.Hot Rooms In the traditional zone there are the Hot Rooms. A series of interlinked rooms in large ceramics with increasing temperature as you get further in for the ultimate thermal experience.Drench Bucket & Plunge Pool Outside the hot rooms one will find a drench bucket cleansing shower and a large Plunge pool. The plunge pool now includes a unique heat recovery system which uses the heat removed from the plunge pool water to provide heat to the existing learner pool.Massage Slabs & Footrests The traditional zone also has twin heated Massage slabs for wet massage treatments by the spa therapists. The area is completed by additional heated benching with heated foot rests, below the backlit feature wall.

Creating a Passivhaus home Balancing sustainability and style, Sort Trae is the culmination of a retired architect’s vision for a home and creative space that blends into a South Yorkshire hillside. HEM Architects helped the client to bring this dream to life, using Knauf Insulation’s glass mineral wool insulation to achieve the incredibly high Passivhaus standards for energy efficiency. Low carbon and high comfort The client envisioned a sustainable build using Passivhaus, a voluntary standard for designing and building properties with very low energy consumption, that offer high levels of comfort for their occupants. To achieve this, the levels of air tightness and thermal performance far exceed those mandated by building regulations. FrameTherm® Slab 32 was friction-fitted within the 140mm thick timber frame walls on the first floor, while DriTherm® Cavity Slab 32 was used to fill the stone-clad masonry cavity walls on the ground floor.  “We try to specify fully filled masonry cavity walls where possible, sometimes up to 200mm wide, to maximise the use of mineral wool insulation. It pays dividends for the client”, explained Liam Seaman, Architectural Technologist for HEM Architects. Thermal performance is critical to the Passivhaus approach. The FrameTherm® Slab 32 provided a calculated U-value of 0.137 W/m2K in combination with the black timber frame wall and cladding. For the masonry cavity wall on the ground floor, a fractionally higher U-value of 0.138 W/m2K was achieved using thermally broken wall ties and DriTherm® Cavity Slab 32. This has contributed to Sort Trae’s exceptional thermal efficiency. Because glass mineral wool is flexible and fibrous, slabs knit together and adapt to minor imperfections in the substrate. This tight fit contributed to an overall air change of 0.54 ach (air change per hour), comfortably below the Passivhaus standard of 0.6 ach, meaning the property is air-tight while still providing good ventilation. Sustainable practices Liam explained his reasons for choosing Knauf Insulation, “The alternative products are often oil-based and the application of these is outweighed by the environmental impact of their production and lifecycle.” Both FrameTherm® Slab 32 and DriTherm® Cavity Slab 32 are manufactured with ECOSE® Technology, Knauf Insulation’s unique bio-based binder that contains no added formaldehyde or phenol. The binder is made from natural raw materials that are rapidly renewable and is 70% less energy-intensive to manufacture than traditional binders. Knauf Insulation’s glass mineral wool insulation contains up to 80% recycled content, mostly glass bottles and jars. It is also compressed so more product can fit per pack or pallet, and less packaging is used. This means there’s more product per truck, resulting in fewer vehicles on the road, and less packaging per m2 of insulation. Achieving the Passivhaus standard In collaboration with HEM Architects and other suppliers, the client has created a stunning home and an inspiring set-up for her loom-weaving workshop. “It is general practice for us to specify Knauf Insulation as standard because we find the product information available to be really clear and useful”, Liam added. Knauf Insulation’s practical, detailed product information made it HEM Architects’ first choice to achieve the Passivhaus standard for thermal performance.