GA/07/06/06                                                                                    WATERFRONT 1/2

PRESTIGIOUS WATERFRONT APARTMENTS CONSTRUCTED WITH EXTERNAL WALL INSULATION

Winning Andy Swan Awards 2006

Prestigious waterfront apartments in Cardiff and London have been constructed with external wall insulation, their exciting designs earning them the Andy Swan Awards 2006 for the best use of this process for new private apartments. The Awards are sponsored annually by the Insulated Render and Cladding Association (INCA).

            The winning building is Sovereign Quay, Cardiff, the waterfront site exposed to high winds, so weatherproofing, avoidance of cold bridging and good thickness of insulation to achieve high U-values and reduce heat loss, compensate for large areas of glazing. The application of good air seals around openings was also a prime consideration.

            The architect, David Evans of Goddard Manton, wanted a single homogenous cladding material to create the effect of a sculpted structure. The StoTherm Mineral system was used over a metal stud construction, finished in a white acrylic render, with horizontal banding to emphasise the linear form of the building as it steps down in height along the dockside. System designer, Sto Ltd; and installer, Joyner PA (Cymru) Ltd are both INCA members.

            Joint runner-up in the Awards is Royal Artillery Quays, Thamesmead, London, a riverside development of 438 flats in eight tall blocks, scaling down to two-storeys. Spacing between the blocks allowed for light, landscaping and access to the river path. The concrete frame building was to a high specification for low cost effective energy and acoustic protection.

            RMA Architects required a contemporary design, with light, bright clean lines. The Webertherm XM external wall insulation system, incorporating 90 mm EPS insulation, was finished in white render, complementing brick, steel and glass facades. The system designer is Weber Building Solutions; the installer Makers UK Ltd – both INCA members.

            Also joint runner-up is 90 Park Lane, Croydon, Surrey, a town centre residential development, with an unusually shaped curved roof. This, combined with the contrasting dark terracotta tiling and bright external render gives high visual impact.

            RDJW Architects specified the Epsitec external wall insulation system, adding 80 mm of EPS insulation to the 150 mm mineral fibre inside the steel frame, to achieve a U-value of less than 0.15W/m²K to reduce carbon emissions, help tenants/owners reduce fuel bills and eradicate the risk of condensation. The walls were finished with a flexible, through coloured silicone render. The system designer is Wetherby Building Systems Ltd; and the installer, Concrete Repairs Ltd – both INCA members.

The Insulated Render and Cladding Association is at P O Box 12, Haslemere, Surrey GU27 3AH; tel: 01428 654011; fax: 01428 651401; e-mail: incaassociation@aol.com; web: www.inca-ltd.org.uk

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DOWNLOADABLE IMAGES:-

Sovereign Quay, Cardiff

Royal Artillery Quays, Thamesmead, London

90 Park Lane, Croydon, Surrey

Captions for the above images

Further information from: Gillian or Leonie on 01428 654011