Top marks for university building
The award-winning and ‘BREEAM Outstanding’ engineering building at Lancaster University features a complete range of architectural aluminium glazing systems from Technal.
Technal is also supplying for the phased refurbishment of the university’s 1960s-built physics department.
The new engineering facility has been designed by John McAslan + Partners. Awarded Winner, Riba National Award 2015, among other RIBA awards, it was also highly commended by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in the ‘Design through Innovation’ category at its 2016 RIcs North West Awards.
Using passive techniques to achieve the environmental performance measure of BREEAM ‘outstanding’ in the design assessment, the design is in-line with Lancaster University’s sustainability and carbon reduction targets.
Technal’s technical support team and fabricator LDG Contracts worked alongside main contractor Eric Wright Construction to deliver the most thermally efficient solution, which features Technal’s FXi65 window system, CD doors and MX curtain walling.
With the capability of realising Uw values as low as 1.3W/m2K, more than 196 FXi65 casement windows from Technal have been installed throughout the building.
Featuring a stylish ‘visible’ opening frame with an infill of up to 52mm for a contemporary finish, the FXi65 windows appear as both punched hole and inserts within curtain walling offering varying configurations yet visually consistent window types across the building.
Technal’s CD heavy-duty door can handle the demands of a high traffic area, such as this educational building. Featured to ground floor thoroughfare locations, the doors are specified as hinged configurations and include single and double leaf options. Offering a flush threshold, ideal for disabled access, the doors are double glazed to BS6262.
Featured throughout the building, 252m2 of Technal’s MX Visible Grid capped curtain walling was selected for its contemporary aesthetics. The system includes concealed vents that allow for natural ventilation without compromising the architectural integrity of the facade.
With natural light being a key specification requirement, MX Visible Grid allowed larger and heavier glazing units to be installed thanks to its superior load distribution, permitting more natural light to flow through the building’s rooms.
Installed to the spanning, entrance screens, 160m2 of MX Trame Verticale curtain walling also complements the building’s design. Its projecting aerofoil transom caps add depth to the facade while the slender face trim gaskets are flush with the front face of the infill, softening the corresponding sections.
