The window installers working on the construction of an architecturally impressive new school in Lancashire have been making full use of the sealant technology offered by tremco illbruck in achieving excellent airtightness and durability, as well as simplifying the construction process.
The Witton Park School in Blackburn has been built by Balfour Beatty Construction with Studio E Architects, a London based practice, being responsible for the design of the academy status education establishment.
SG Aluminium is the local window company that has utilised illbruck ME220 EPDM gaskets in fabricating both curtain walling and individual fenestration units.
The Procurement Manager for SG Aluminium, Anthony Leigh, explains: “While we are also fabricators of Schuco and Smart systems, in the case of Witton Park School we have utilised the Kawneer profiles to produce windows, doors and curtain walling.
“The illbruck EPDM is a good product which saves on fabrication time. Instead of having to bond the gasket to our window frames with an aluminium strip, the illbruck ME220 is simply pushed into a slot. It costs a little bit more but it saves money over time and is cleaner. Then with specifiers looking for ever higher standards of airtightness, the product’s high performance is also very important.”
KMG, a specialist distributor of illbruck sealants and other systems, supplied the cladding contractor – ECI – with more of the illbruck ME220 with KO3 gasket profile and illbruck OTO15 Paste Adhesive. The latter was used to bond the EPDM gaskets to the exterior of the precast concrete cladding panels, ready for SG Aluminium to install its fenestration systems.
illbruck ME220 is an EPDM membrane used for sealing interfaces to provide airtight or weather tight seals. The material does not contain any solvents, which could later migrate into adjacent surfaces. With high resistance to mechanical damage, the product is also resistant to weathering, ageing and UV radiation. It also offers excellent movement capacity in both longitudinal and transverse direction, with impressive material recovery after elongation.
As well as new classrooms for over 1,000 secondary school pupils, futuristic areas such as ‘global communication,’ ‘performance,’ ‘stem’ and ‘nurture’ will be created in the new building.