Euroform Products

When the largest timber-frame structure in Scotland needed to meet the challenge of balancing high thermal performance within a specified building footprint, an innovative solution was called for… Project: Ellerslie Road, Sustainable Residential Development Location: Yoker, Glasgow Client: CCG Construction and Manufacturing Group Product: Chi-Gasket Application: Cross Laminated Timber Project Value: £5.5 million

Versapanel®, Euroform’s cement particle board, has been specified for its acoustic properties as a roofing system component for what is set to be one of the UK’s largest film and TV studios, Shinfield Studios, at the Thames Valley Science Park.

This groundbreaking project required a sheathing board that would form an integral part of an insulated render system, providing 60-minute through-wall fire resistance and meeting project-specific acoustic requirements. Project: Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital Project Value: £70 million Architect: Keppie Design Main Contractor: Lend Lease Subcontractor: Farpod Dry Lining Product: Versapanel Size: 2800mmx1200mmx12mm Quantity: 30,000m2

This exciting project, situated close to a major wind farm, required a sheathing board with exceptional pull-over performance; and the need for unusual board sizes meant that waste was an issue, particularly in light of the architect’s BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating ambitions.The Project: Hugh Baird Community and Higher Education Centre, LiverpoolProject Value: £8 millionMain Contractor: Wates Construction North WestSub-Contractor: Sound Interiors LimitedProduct: VersapanelSize: 1200 — 2800 — 12mmQuantity: 2,000m2About the ProjectAn £8 million, 2,600 square metre project, the new Hugh Baird Community and Higher Education Centre in Liverpool offers an innovative mix of facilities, not only for Hugh Baird’s students and apprentices but also to the local community, schools and businesses.The facility will incorporate a University Centre, a flexible performance and exhibition space, a public library and a Jobcentre Plus. A new Business Development Centre, providing professional training for local businesses, is also to be a core feature.Architects IBI Taylor Young have created a striking modern design, incorporating a semi-rotunda feature and a three-storey overhanging box structure.The ChallengeThere were two key challenges on this project for sub-contractors Sound Interiors Limited. Firstly, the unusual design called for non-standard panel sizes. This is becoming all too common as contemporary architecture moves increasingly toward the unique and, in some cases, the downright eccentric.Secondly, the five-storey structure is located in a windy area; so windy, in fact, that, less than a mile away, you can find the Port of Liverpool 10MW wind farm, capable of generating electricity for 5,500 homes. Where wind is a factor, the pull-over performance of any building boards used is critical, particularly during construction when wind can penetrate the structure and create areas of negative wind pressure.The SolutionSize is EverythingAs modern British architecture moves away from the conventional, the challenges for construction professionals like Sound Interiors increase. Whilst, in the past, construction has largely been a logistically focused endeavour — the ‘when’ and ‘where’ of it all — increasingly, the question that dominates the pre-construction phase of a project is ‘How?’The skill and experience of Sound Interiors came into play not only in applying their technical knowhow to the challenges of constructing an overhanging box and creating a curving rotunda from flat building boards, it also influenced their choice of materials.Said John Sheeran, Contracts Manager at Sound Interiors Limited, “We opted for Euroform’s Versapanel on this project — and numerous other projects — because it’s easy to work with and reliable. Plus we get exceptionally good technical support from the team at Euroform. For the Hugh Baird project, where lots of unusual sizes were required, the fact that Versapanel is available in a larger 1200 — 2800 — 12mm size meant we could dramatically reduce wastage. This material-conscious approach also helps us support IBI Taylor Young’s ambition of achieving a BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’ for the building.”Under PressureIt’s no coincidence that four 125-metre Nordex N90, 2.5-MW turbines, capable of producing a total of 10MW of electricity, have been strategically located just a mile or so away. This is a windy area of Liverpool. Thankfully, Sound Interiors’ commitment to Versapanel also resolved this second challenge, reducing the effects of negative wind pressure during construction.John Taylor, Business Development Manager at Euroform, said, “Versapanel makes the ideal sheathing panel for challenging construction environments. For areas of high wind load, such as coastal regions, a board with effective wind-load and pull-over performance can be extremely important. Obviously, no two projects are alike, and we’re only too happy to work closely with professionals like Sound Interiors to ensure the best possible outcome.”ConclusionThis isn’t the first time that Sound Interiors, Euroform and Versapanel have come together to overcome adverse weather condition. At Gogarth School in Llandudno, freezing temperatures and driving rain presented a significant challenge. At Hugh Baird, it was strong winds. In both cases a desire to reduce waste was a key commitment of all parties involved. And in both cases, a successful outcome was enjoyed by all.

A combination of factors, including high winds, freezing temperatures and widely varying stud centres led award-winning walls and ceilings specialist Sound Interiors to Euroform’s cement particle board, Versapanel.The Project: Gogarth School (Ysgol-Y-Gogarth), LlandudnoMain Contractor: Willmott Dixon ConstructionSubcontractor: Sound Interiors LimitedProduct: VersapanelSize: 1200mm x 2800mm x 12mmQuantity: 2,500 square metresThe ChallengeGogarth School (Ysgol-Y-Gogarth) is situated less than 300 metres from Llandudno Bay, with no barriers or windbreaks between it and the sea, making exposure to the elements particularly problematic. What’s more, the UK’s weather is becoming increasingly harsh and unpredictable. According to Met Office statistics, 2012 was the second wettest year since records began. And March this year was the coldest since 1962.John Sheeran, Contracts Manager at Sound Interiors Limited, said, “The biggest challenge of the project was the weather conditions we encountered over the nine-week programme. We were informed of the temperature dropping as low as -12 degrees on some occasions, not to mention the prevailing winds. On a few occasions our supervisor and I had no choice but to take the decision to abandon our works.”  John continues, “In addition, the majority of the steel framing we had to fix our boards to ‘installed by third parties’ had massively varying stud centres.”The SolutionBy specifying Euroform’s Versapanel, the fully external cement particle board, both challenges were overcome.Stud CentresThe varying stud centres issue was easily addressed by the availability of Euroform’s Versapanel in a 1200mm x 2800mm size. “Using this size board reduced waste that would normally be generated when using a 2400mm x 1200mm board,” said John.The problem presented by the inclement British weather and the close proximity of the sea was also resolved by Euroform’s Versapanel.Heavy RainfallThe British Research Establishment Centre for TimberTechnology and Construction, in their BRE Digest 447 Part 3, recommend cement particle board ‘where there is a special requirement for moisture resistance.’This requirement for moisture resistance doesn’t simply apply to a board’s performance in the completed building; it is also a critical factor during construction. Euroform’s Versapanel can be exposed to extreme conditions indefinitely and, even when soaked, will dry out and maintain its original robust performance.Freezing TemperaturesEuroform’s Versapanel is manufactured to BS EN 634 Parts 1 & 2, the British Standards that govern particle boards’ and wood-based panels’ tensile strength, mechanical properties, density, load factors and resistance to hard body impact. Moreover, and especially relevant to the Ysgol-y-Gogarth project, BS EN 634 Parts 1 & 2 govern a board’s resistance to frost.ConclusionA robust, versatile building board with the full support of the Euroform technical team, Versapanel proved to be the perfect solution to the challenges faced by Sound Interiors on the Ysgol-y-Gogarth project.