Work on the Get Living development used next generation High Rise Solutions (HRS)— an offsite sub-assembly construction method designed to deliver notable improvements in efficiency, quality and waste reduction. To support this approach, Level 2 BIM was implemented from the outset allowing for close collaboration and design certainty across the design team which included M&E consultants, chapmanbdsp, M&E contractors, Borough ES, and thermal insulation contractors, Commercial Insulation Services.
Alternative Heat were appointed to oversee the design, fabrication and delivery of the shell and core mechanical, electrical and plumbing package for this project. These included a number of different modules such as skid mounted plantrooms, mechanical utility cupboards, laterals and risers. Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation and Insulated Pipe Support Inserts were specified for a range of Low Temperature Hot Water (LTHW) and Boosted Cold Water System (BCWS) pipework within the modules, and as part of the onsite specification from Commercial Insulation.
Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation offers a thin and highly thermally efficient solution and was specified in a range of thicknesses from 20 – 50 mm covering steel and copper pipes in 15 – 200 mm diameters. Together with Kooltherm Insulated Pipe Support Inserts, they provide an effective barrier against heat transfer to and from the pipework, improving the efficiency of the building services and protecting against overheating from pipework in living areas.
This performance was key to their specification as Damien McMullan from Alternative Heat explained: “The development uses a district heating system, so it was essential to keep heat losses from the pipework to a minimum. For this reason, the specification from chapmanbdsp required the pipework to be highly insulated and compliant with the CIBSE CP1 Heat Networks guidance. The combination of Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation and Insulated Pipe Support Inserts allowed us to easily meet these requirements across the different pipe diameters. The taped edges on the pipe support inserts also made them easier to install and provided a high quality, durable finish. Out positive experience using Kingspan on this project has led to Alternative Heat specifying and using Kingspan product on several other large projects since.”
As part of the Level 2 BIM approach, all members of the project team contributed towards a building model in a shared Common Data Environment (CDE). This approach allowed interfaces between the onsite services installations, including the work by Commercial Insulation, and the modular elements to be carefully pre-planned to ensure a smooth installation. To support this, Alternative Heat undertook detailed modelling of its various modules in-house before fabricating them at its facility in Northern Ireland.
“The product specific BIM models provided for Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation were very helpful in supporting our modelling process,” Damien explained. “They enabled quick and accurate modelling of elements without requiring excessive inhouse resources.”
Detailed BIM objects for the Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation can be freely downloaded from bimstore.co.uk. The product has achieved Eurofins Indoor Air Comfort Gold, recognising it as an outstanding material according to the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) Indoor Air Quality emissions regulations.
www.kingspantechnicalinsulation.co.uk