An ambitious open-plan school in Liverpool, designed to provide engaging architecture on a limited budget has been insulated with Kingspan Kooltherm K15 Rainscreen Board.
Designed by Sheppard Robson, Notre Dame Catholic College uses an innovative model, developed with Liverpool City Council, which combines a standardised clear-span outer shell with modular internal spaces. These spaces can be developed to meet the specific needs and requirements of each school and can even be adapted over time. The internal area combines large break-out areas with multi-storey education and study spaces including an amphitheatre, chapel, and demountable classrooms.
The school’s outer shell is clad in a pearlescent metal façade and, to maximise building fabric performance, Sheppard Robson specified over 3000m2 of Kingspan Kooltherm K15 Rainscreen Board. The premium performance product features a fibre-free core and can achieve thermal conductivities as low as 0.020 W/m.K. It has also been assigned a highest possible Green Guide Summary Rating of A+ by the BRE.
To help strengthen the local economy, Willmott Dixon Construction ensured 70% of the project work force was sourced from the surrounding area. As part of this approach, the rainscreen cladding system and 60 mm Kingspan Kooltherm K15 Rainscreen Board were installed by local SFS experts, Cull & Griffiths Ltd.
Will Griffiths from Cull & Griffiths Ltd. commented on the installation: “We were extremely pleased to be able to support the local community as part of this special project. The Kingspan Kooltherm K15 Rainscreen Board is both lightweight and easy to cut to size onsite. This made the installation process straightforward for our installers.”
Kingspan Kooltherm K15 Rainscreen board was the first insulation board for use in rainscreen cladding applications to achieve LABC Registered Detail. The product has been certified as ‘Excellent’ under the demanding responsible sourcing standard, BES 6001, and provides excellent fire performance with a Class 0 fire rating.
Now complete, Notre Dame Catholic College complements the Great Homer Street regeneration scheme on the outskirts of Liverpool city centre.