Commercial, Industrial

Challenge to find slim thermal insulation solution to eliminate thermal bridging through steel frame.

Details

Location: The Heong Gallery, Downing College, Cambridge.

The college’s Edwardian stables were transformed into the new gallery by architects Caruso St John and hosts exhibitions of modern and contemporary art. The project won a RIBA East Award in 2017.

Challenges

• Eliminate thermal loop and accelerated bridging through structural steel frame.
• Greatly increased thermal resistance within critical space to ensure flush line of steel frame without disruption to interior profile lines.
• Solution to dovetail with conventional insulation system.
• To remove the risk of condensation at the steel structure/ring beam and connection details and to achieve the required thermal performance.
• Walls: 0.25 W/m²K       Roof: 0.16 W/m²K

Solutions

• To wrap a 30mm (3 no. layers of 10mm) Thermablok Aerogel Blanket around the back of the steel, through and around the corners of the building and fix in place.
• Entire steel structure wrapped and lined with layers of Thermablok Aerogel 10mm Insulation Blanket, glued and taped in place.

Benefits

• Providing an increased thermal efficiency at a critical position where absolutely essential to prevent repeat cold bridging within a much reduced space.
• Robust and tough material can be cut to fit in and around steel structure.
• Materials not effected by liquid, mould or bacteria ensuring a risk adverse insulation solution.

Steel frame wrapped with Thermablok Aerogel Blanket

Steel frame wrapped with Thermablok Aerogel Blanket

Steel structure insulation detail

Heong Gallery, Downing College, Cambridge.