ICOPAL HELPS SCHOOL ACHIEVE ‘VERY GOOD’ BREEAM RATING

publication date: Dec 12, 2008

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author/source: Icopal

Three types of building membrane from Icopal have helped a new £22 million school in Wakefield achieve a ‘very good’ BREEAM rating.

Some 1,500m2 of Icopal’s extensive green roof system was installed over two roofs, Greenpeace-approved Sure-Weld TPO waterproofing membrane over other roof areas, and 2,500m2 of Monarfloor Tranquilt acoustic insulation under the screed on the ground and first floors of the central atrium during a phased two-year demolition and re-build of Horbury School, a specialist language college for 1,000 pupils.

Designed by NPS North East property consultants, the 11,500m2 site on the footprint of the old one incorporates a number of sustainable features which were required by Wakefield Metropolitan District Council to help the school to informally achieve its ‘very good’ BREEAM rating.

Built by Miller Construction in three phases, the steel-frame building’s internal walls are metal stud and plasterboard, while the heavyweight concrete floors and roofs help to reduce overheating. This provides good levels of acoustic separation and reduces fabric heat losses to 10% lower than Building Regulations requirements. Ventilation, heating and lighting are further optimised using acoustic transfer grilles and controlled rooflights and windows.

Icopal’s Monarfloor Tranquilt composite system, which comprises a layer of LRAC foam, sealed both sides with a polyethylene membrane, is capable of exceeding the requirements of the Part E & Building Bulletin 93 regulations in terms of impact and airborne sound insulation. It was installed under the floor screed in the canteen and meeting areas of the central atrium to limit noise transmission.

In addition, Icopal’s extensive sedum roof system incorporating rootbar underlay and capsheet, protection layer, drainage board, filter fleece, sedum substrate, sedum mat and edge restraint strips was installed by Watershed Roofing on the roofs of the science and art and design technology classrooms.

This was specified by NPS North East to slow down and reduce storm water run-off into the surface water drainage system on the roof of Phase 1, this having the additional benefit of reducing the school’s use of metered mains cold water and reducing operating costs.

On the other roof areas, Watershed Roofing installed Sure-Weld TPO which is a fully recyclable advanced Thermoplastic Polyolefin single-ply membrane that is free of PVC and specially formulated for long-term exposure without the use of either polymeric or liquid plasticisers.

Project architect Michael Thornton of NPS North East, who have used Icopal products since the 1980s, said: “The brief was to design a college based on the Building Schools for the Future exemplar layouts.

“The BREEAM requirement drove the design down the road of sustainable construction materials and the sedum roof was part of this process by slowing storm water run-off into the drainage system and introducing wildlife habitat for insects and birds.

“The SUDS Drainage includes rainwater attenuation, and a 30% reduction in surface water run-off from the site. BREEAM has been informally checked and we have attained the ‘very good’ standard as required by the client.”

He added: “The Icopal insulation was a convenient material because it met the performance criteria and was cost-effective. I use Icopal because the technical service and support are first class and the products have always performed.”

Steve Derham, of Watershed Roofing, added: “The project had a tight programme which was hindered by bad weather but the Icopal products performed very well and the end result was excellent.”