The solution
More than 5,000 square metres of ROCKWOOL insulation was specified by the architects for the whole façade system. A decision the specialist façade installer Longworth fully agreed with: “Longworth and Rockwool have a fantastic partnership and we have worked on many projects together. We know the quality of the ROCKWOOL stone wool insulation and it is a product we fully trust,” explains Stephen Barnett, Procurement Director at Longworth. “ROCKWOOL’s RainScreen Duo Slab® fits well with the Euramax Traditional Standing Seam Cladding System we installed.”
RainScreen Duo Slab® is a stone wool insulation product specifically developed for use within ventilated cladding systems and sealed systems such as curtain walling. Manufactured using Dual Density technology, the outer surface of each slab features a higher density than the underside. This provides a firm and robust surface for the application of fixings, while the resilient underside can accommodate unevenness in the substrate. RainScreen Duo Slab also has a Euroclass reaction to fire rating of A1 - the highest available.
Other ROCKWOOL products installed included RWA45 and Soffit Slabs, which also boast a Euroclass A1 classification. Multiple-purpose, RWA45 can be applied to an array of general building applications providing acoustic, thermal and fire protection of partition walls, ceilings, floors and roofs. ROCKWOOL Soffit Slab is purpose-designed for concrete soffits giving thermal insulation and acoustic absorption and up to 4 hours’ fire protection.
The specification team at ROCKWOOL was actively involved in the whole process from the start. It prepared the required U-value calculations and advised on the correct combination and installation of insulation products to ensure the fire safety of the building including the use of ROCKWOOL cavity barriers and firestopping products.
The ROCKWOOL team also worked with the architects to achieve the best possible acoustic performance by managing the acoustic calculations and recommending the most efficient slab thickness.
Working closely with the distributor, the team also arranged just-in-time delivery of materials to the site to help manage the storage space restrictions.
The result
Upperbanks is part of a wider £400m transformation of Rochdale town centre, turning the former brownfield site into new, comfortable and safe homes and contributing to a vibrant town centre atmosphere.
Anthony Dillon concludes: “The local pride in Rochdale Riverside and the continued level of inward investment being attracted to exciting developments such as Upperbanks make it a blueprint for vital town centre regeneration across the UK.”
