The University of Nottingham is developing the manufacturing solutions of tomorrow at its new, RIBA award winning research facility featuring pipe and duct insulation from Kingspan Industrial Insulation.
The Advanced Manufacturing Building has been designed by Bond Bryan and acts as a stylish gateway to the university’s Jubilee Campus. Inside, there are a range of teaching spaces, laboratories and workshops fitted out with cutting-edge production technologies for automation, precision manufacturing and 3D printing.
Project Architect, James Woodhouse, commented: “This has been a fantastic team effort and a joy to see this project come to fruition. We are all thrilled with the result and believe that this will help to shape the future of the UK manufacturing sector.”
GF Tomlinson oversaw construction of the 9,000 m2 building which has achieved a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’. To optimise the performance of building services, over 7000 metres of Kingspan Kooltherm FM Pipe Insulation was installed on pipework across the building. The product has an aged thermal conductivity as low as 0.025 W/m·K (at 10°C mean), making it the most thermally efficient pipe insulation in common use within the UK construction industry today.
Richard Drew, Group Managing Director from installers Gill Insulation commented:
“The big advantage with Kooltherm Pipe Insulation is you can keep thicknesses to a minimum without any trade off in performance. That reduction in size can make a real difference when you’re working in tight service spaces. Our experienced team were able to complete a streamlined fit-out process on the Advanced Manufacturing Building. As ever, Kingspan were on hand to provide any technical support when we required it.”
Kingspan Kooltherm FM Pipe Insulation also offers excellent fire performance with a Euroclass reaction to fire rating of BL,s1,d0 and is FM Approved per Approval Standard Class 4924. It has been awarded a best-in-class Eurofins Indoor Air Comfort Gold certificate, recognising it as an outstanding material according to the VOC Indoor Air Quality emissions standards.
Kingspan Therma Duct was also used to insulate external ductwork on the flat roof of the research building. The rigid insulation boards have a thermal conductivity as low as 0.022 W/m.K and allowed the specified thicknesses to be maintained at corners in the rectangular ductwork. As with all external applications, Gill Insulation also installed Stucco Ventclad around the lagged ductwork with aluminium angle corners to shield it from the effects of wind and sunlight.
The fibre-free core of both Kingspan Kooltherm FM Pipe Insulation and Therma Duct is manufactured with blowing agents with zero Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) and low Global Warming Potential (GWP). The BRE has assigned both products the highest possible Green Guide Rating of A+.
With Kingspan Industrial Insulation’s free Pipeline Technical Advisory Service, which can be contacted on 0808 168 7363, clear advice and guidance can be accessed at every stage in a project. They also have Premier and Premier Plus Services which support purchases of Kingspan Kooltherm FM Pipe Insulation and the Kooltherm FM Complete Pipe Insulation System (incorporating insulated pipe support inserts and fire sleeves).
For more information:
Tel: +44 (0) 1544 388 601
Pipeline Technical Advisory Service: 0808 168 7363
Fax: +44 (0) 1544 388 888
E-mail: info@kingspaninsulation.co.uk