Commercial Buildings, Offices: New Build
Winner: Torfaen Innovation Centre, Cwmbran, Torfaen

The Torfaen Innovation Centre, Llantarnum Park Way, Cwmbran, provides office use for the local authority. The Torfaen County Council required a flexible insulation with good acoustic qualities and the ability to allow the curvature of the building to be as natural as possible. Nor should the insulant contain CFCs or CHICs as a blowing agent.

Rockshield lamella insulation slab was used, as it has the ability to bend easily and the board to be rasped back and to obtain a smoother finish. The 180 mm thick slab increased the thermal value by 50%, reducing the energy loss considerably, to support a low cost heating system and produce a U-value below 0.2W/m²K. The render finish in white and grey to the majority of the building was coupled with a dry cladding finish.

The system designer was Rockwool Ltd; the installer, Joyner PA Cymru – both INCA members.