The development of a new student accommodation building in one of the South Coast’s most populartowns has included the use of the proven-in-practice and very versatile Marmox Thermoblocks: specified to combat cold-bridging at the junction of its parapet walls with the property’s roof decks.
In total 800 of the 600mm long, 215x65mm Thermoblocks were supplied for the project by Dagenhambased Encon Insulation Ltd., for the main contractor, Henry Construction, to lay during thedevelopment of the nine storey ‘Student Castle’ on Brighton’s Pelham Terrace. The work alsoinvolved using some 60 cartridges of Marmox MSP-360 sealant to secure the stepped overlap joints.The nine-inch (225mm) thick brick walls have been built directly on top of the Thermoblocks which arethemselves bedded around the perimeter of the RC terraces and main roof slab.
I have used Marmox Thermoblockson a number of projects in the past – including with previous companies and always found them idealfor applications such as this, easy to cut and lay, while also being very robust.In the case of the Student Castle here in Brighton we have employed them for a series of parapetwalls at first floor level, then at the perimeter of floors 6, 8 and 9, where the private penthouseapartments are located. Inside the line of the parapet wall and the Thermoblocks, we are installing afelt membrane, covered by rigid insulation and then a single ply cap sheet, dressed up the inside ofthe wall, to complete the roofing work
The site agent for Henry Construction, John Keeley
Marmox Thermoblocks are available in widths of 100, 140 or 215mm and are formed from sections ofXPS (extruded polystyrene) encapsulating two rows of high strength, epoxy concrete mini-columns. These are attached at either end to the top and bottom layers of glass-fibre reinforced polymerconcrete, to ensure a good bond with the rest of the structure.
As well as combatting cold-bridging at the base of blockwork walls, Thermoblocks are also oftenutilised to support timber frame construction or at vulnerable upper floor junctions including, as in thecase of the Brighton project, beneath parapet walls. Crucially, a variety of details have been thermally modelled by the BRE to provide insulation values for use in SAP or other calculations, avoiding the punishing ‘default’ figure.
Despite the disruption caused by the Coronavirus lockdown, the project is still on course to be completed in time for the start of the next academic year this autumn, providing a total of 189 high specification student bedrooms, as well as five private apartments.
TEL: 01634 835290 FAX: 01634 835299 EMAIL: sales@marmox.co.uk WEB: www.marmox.co.uk