An office building featuring STYROFOAM-A insulation from Dow Building Solutions has won ‘Best Sustainable Development’ in the prestigious LABC Construction Excellence awards scheme.
The office is part of the new Carbon Neutral Business Zone (CaNeBuZo) in Lincolnshire, designed by Dr Jeremy Harrall of SEArch Architects with Local Authority Building Control services provided by South Holland District Council.
The development – known as CaNeBuZo – aims to be the UK’s first fossil fuel free business park. It features a series of earth-bunded buildings on a former garage site blighted with contamination. The office – the first building in the scheme to be completed – was given the accolade at the LABC East Midlands Awards, and is now in the running for a national prize.
Dow’s STYROFOAM–A insulation to a thickness of 300mm was used as external insulation for the distinctive, circular building, which will be one of seven offices on the site. The completed scheme will also feature the “Lincolnshire Autonomous house”; another fossil fuel free project.
“STYROFOAM–A sits perfectly within the concept of the CaNeBuZo development as it’s ideal for external use where moisture resistance and strength are key,” said Jayne Law, UK and Ireland Sales Manager for Dow Building Solutions. “This is making it very popular with designers of earth-sheltered, zero carbon schemes such as CaNeBuZo as well as Passivhaus design, where wrapping structures in external insulation helps reduce thermal bridges.”
STYROFOAM–A is produced using recycled carbon dioxide as a blowing agent which gives it a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of less than five. U-values of 0.09W/m2K for the floors and 0.12W/m2K for the walls and roofs were achieved in the award-winning office building, which has exposed concrete on its internal surfaces.
“Using STYROFOAM–A in combination with exposed concrete meant we could provide a natural heating regime by harnessing the thermal mass properties of concrete,” explained Dr Harrall. “The concrete absorbs heat on warm days and releases it during cooler weather whilst the enhanced insulation means no additional heating will be required, reducing CO2 emissions.”
Earth covers the majority of the building, except for large windows to the south to make the most of solar gain and smaller north-facing windows. CaNeBuZo’s electricity will be generated by a wind turbine and photovoltaic panels, and all waste will be managed on site, making it a showcase for environmentally responsible development.
Dow Building Solutions offers a range of insulation products to improve the energy efficiency of residential and commercial buildings.
