When the existing St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Junior School in London required a new 3FE school on its existing site, Curl la Tourelle Architects specified FOAMGLAS® cellular glass insulation extensively. The product was chosen as it was the insulation material that could combine all the performance properties required and meet the sustainable ethos of the architectural team.
The new junior school replaces the existing building on a confined urban site on Linacre Road, Willesden, London. The new school provides a modern educational facility and improves on the previous building in terms of its aesthetics, performance and environmental impact.
To contribute to the junior school's positive sustainable credentials, Curl la Tourelle Architects maximised the amount of natural light and ventilation, included rainwater harvesting systems and improved levels of insulation. It was FOAMGLAS cellular glass insulation that proved to be the ideal solution as it was suitable for use within the tapered roof system, cavity walls, floor and the rainscreen façade.
"For St. Mary Magdalen's new school we needed an insulation material that could perform well in a number of areas," explained Lee Dyball, Architectural Assistant, at Curl la Tourelle Architects. "FOAMGLAS insulation was the most versatile material that had all the necessary properties. It provides the appropriate level of U-Values, is unaffected by moisture making it an ideal solution for use with the rainscreen cladding and has the necessary compressive strength to be used within the floor build-up."
FOAMGLAS is a high performance insulation material. It comprises of hermetically sealed glass cells, which are totally resistant to the effects of liquid moisture and gases - i.e. water vapour. It is ideal for use on the exterior envelope of a building as well as the supporting structure. This is due to its high compressive strength, ability not to deflect under compressive loads and its stability.
Lee Dyball added: "Our vision is to bring together design and sustainability in every building we create. In keeping with this ethos, the fact that cellular glass insulation has a 68% recycled content and will last the lifetime of the building was a clear advantage. We were delighted that the completed project was awarded the rating of 'Very Good' under the BREEAM assessment, which was carried out by the BRE and takes into account all the elements of sustainability on the project."
An ideal solution for any project with an ecological focus, FOAMGLAS® insulation is the only insulation in the UK to be awarded with the international natureplus® label, which recognises building products that have a high level of quality in the areas of health, the environment and functionality and crucially in terms of its criteria - goes far beyond current standards and legal regulations.
For further information please visit: www.foamglas.co.uk
