GA/28.05.09                                           STRONGLY 1/2

COLOUR FEATURES STRONGLY IN THE INCA AWARDS FOR EDUCATIONAL BUILDINGS

Striking colours used to interesting effect, featured in the three winners of the INCA Andy Swan Awards 2009 – educational buildings category, sponsored by the Insulated Render and Cladding Association.

          Colour was used for effect for the winning entry – the new sports hall and gym at St James School, Malvern. Different colour bands for the silicone render, ranged from dark purple on the ground floor with alternating medium and light pink on the higher storeys – separated by painted tape bands.

          Protection against vandalism and heavy traffic for the first 2.10 metres up, was essential when specifying the Alsecco insulated render system to envelop medium density blockwork. Therefore Armatop carbon fibre was applied in two layers, with two layers of carbon mesh cloth, to protect the high traffic areas and solve the problem of thermal shock occurring in the darker coloured render. The system included 100mm EPS above dpc level, and 90mm below, adhesive and mechanically fixed, achieving a U-value of 0.31W/m²K. The system designer was Alsecco (UK) Ltd; the installer, Joyner PA (Cymru) Ltd – both INCA members.

          A wide range of coloured renders were used on the new Rodillian School, at Lofthouse, Wakefield, WF3 3PS, part of Leeds Building Schools for the Future Programme, which was highly commended within the Awards. The WBS external wall insulation system was used on a steel frame construction, incorporating 130mm mineral wool insulation, and finished with a white silicone render, with the window reveals on a large elevation all rendered in different colours to give a modern aesthetic result. A U-value of 0.27W/m²K was achieved. The system designer was Wetherby Building Systems Ltd; the installer, Skyline Construction Services Ltd – both INCA members.

          Also highly commended was new student accommodation at Victoria Halls, Phase 2, Nottingham, where the brief was to develop the site for the maximum number of students. The site is positioned outside the city centre on the edge of a conservation area and overlooking the garden of rest. Proximity to other tall buildings meant that the design could be a transition from area to area, whilst maintaining views through the development into the park. The palette of materials was kept simple to enhance the building’s oval forms.

          Henry Mein Partnership specified the PermaRock mineral fibre and lamella insulated render systems, incorporating 135mm of insulation and finished with an acrylic render onto a lightweight metal frame construction, to achieve a U-value of 0.25W/m²K. The system designer was PermaRock Products Ltd; the installer, George Howe Ltd – both INCA members.

The Insulated Render & Cladding Association is at Royal London House, 22-25 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1DX ; tel: 0844 249 0040; fax: 0844 249 0042; e-mail: info@inca-ltd.org.uk; or www.inca-ltd.org.uk.

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Further information from the INCA Secretariat
on 0844 249 0040.

Downloadable Images:-

   images\St James School, Malvern

   images\Rodillian School, Leeds

   images\Victoria Halls, Nottingham

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