WETHERBY KEEPS THE HEAT IN AT NEW COLLEGE ACCOMMODATION
As part of a major regeneration scheme to upgrade its facilities, a national college has used external wall insulation (EWI) from Wetherby Building Systems for its new accommodation development.
The college has undertaken a £12m transformation programme to enhances its facilities, which included the construction of a new accommodation block and the installation of state-of-the art teaching equipment. The new 100-bed accommodation block, comprising a mix of en-suite and studio rooms, was carefully designed to deliver an energy efficient, sustainable building.
A modular construction design was considered a quicker and more cost effective building solution, with the accommodation block constructed from steel framed units. As a result, main contractors Interserve, part of the international support services and construction Interserve Group, needed an external wall solution that could effectively encapsulate the building and turned to Wetherby Building Systems for advice.
After careful consideration, Wetherby specified its Epsitec system, an innovative solution which was specifically developed to work with modern steel and timber frame construction methods. Designed in line with NHBC (National House Building Council) guidelines, the Epsitec system incorporates a drainage cavity to ensure that no moisture can pass through to the building structure.
The use of Wetherby’s Epsitec system also allowed the modular units to be erected with a flat finished render surface. With the ability to modify the width of the drainage cavity within the EWI system, while still maintaining the integrity of the BBA approved system, it was possible to adjust the rails to produce acceptable surface alignment.
It was important for college to minimise the risk of fire within the new accommodation building, so a healthy 170mm mineral fibre was selected as the only truly non-combustible insulation material. With the college specifying a low maintenance finish, Wetherby’s 1.5mm Silicone ‘K’ render in an off-white was applied to the insulation, meeting planning requirements and offering a clean, modern appearance to the external façade.
The Epsitec system has also helped to ensure the building will be extremely energy efficient from the outset. The higher than average thickness of mineral fibre installed resulted in a U-Value of 0.15w/m2K, far exceeding the Part L building regulations for new build developments.
Commenting on the project, Ross Satchwell, Interserve Project Manager, said: “Using a steel frame construction for this project meant we needed to install building systems specifically designed to work with this construction method to ensure a structurally sound building was delivered.”
“The Epsitec solution was ideal, as it allowed us the flexibility of modifying drainage cavity widths and insulation thicknesses so we could meet the challenging requirements of the project.”
Wetherby Building Systems Ltd
Wetherby Building Systems Ltd is the UK’s market leader in the design and supply of a wide range of solid wall insulation (SWI) systems. Comprising a wide range of external and internal wall insulation solutions, Wetherby’s systems offer environmentally sympathetic façade solutions that have been successfully installed on many domestic refurbishment projects, new build schemes, commercial buildings and educational establishments for over 20 years.
About Interserve
Interserve is one of the world’s foremost support services and construction companies. Our vision is to redefine the future for people and places. Everything we do is shaped by our core values. We are a successful, growing, international business: a leader in innovative and sustainable outcomes for our clients and a great place to work for our people. We offer advice, design, construction, equipment, facilities management and frontline public services. We are headquartered in the UK and listed in the FTSE 250 index. We have gross revenues of £3.3 billion and a workforce of circa 80,000 people worldwide. Website:www.interserve.com. For all news follow: @interservenews