Wales’s first twin-skin construction gains BREEAM ‘Excellent’
19th May 2015

Architectural aluminium systems by KAWNEER have created what is believed to be Wales’s first twin-skin façade to give a ‘corporate feel’ to the new postgraduate centre of Cardiff Business School at the city’s University.

The feature not only gives all the thermal, ventilation and acoustic qualities associated with twin-skin architecture but also incorporates an internal walkway between the two skins. And, as Senior Architectural Technologist Andrew Joss said, it helps to create a ‘corporate feel’ to reflect the business context of the college, with a mirrored finish adding to the overall aesthetics.

Installer Dudley’s Architectural Aluminium used Kawneer’s AA100 SSG (Structurally Silicone Glazed) curtain walling as the external wall on the south-east façade with AA100 zone-drained capped curtain walling with BRE Green Guide A+ rated AA541 top-hung casement window vents behind, forming an internal walkway. It is complemented by AA100 curtain walling on the main façade as well as the entrance atrium between two curved terracotta-clad elevations. Kawneer’s AA3720 folding/sliding doors have also been incorporated to the rear of the atrium along with medium-duty swing and series 190 heavy-duty commercial entrance doors.

The systems were specified by regular Kawneer user Boyes Rees Architects for their framing options and sustainability credentials - being 100% recyclable helped the £13.5million project achieve a BREEAM “Excellent” rating. Theysystems were installed on the concrete frame building over five months by for main contractor ISG.

The facade design allows ventilation by opening a window, without external noise intrusion, as well as night time purge ventilation (a natural cooling strategy using thermal mass) without the issues of security.

As well as the BREEAM “Excellent” rating of 76.62%, which puts Cardiff Business School in the top 10% of all UK non-domestic construction projects, the building was designed to achieve an EPC rating of 26 - a significant improvement over the notional new build minimum standard.

www.kawneer.co.uk