News / Press
Kingspan Off-Site Makes the Grade on Listed Mill
19 Oct 2007
Innovative construction technology from Kingspan Off-Site has been blended seamlessly with one of Leeds’ most historic mill buildings on the City’s East Street Mills site. The Kingframe Architectural Façade System was specified on the project, which involved the conversion of an existing Grade II listed mill complex into 179 dwellings. This included construction of an adjacent, entirely newbuild wing to provide key worker accommodation close to the city centre, together with affordable studio units for young professionals.
The new-build project was based on Design Group 3 Architects’ “modar” housing concept which consists of modules that can be mixed and matched to provide an optimum range of units within a development. Design Group 3 Architects specified the Kingframe Architectural Façade System, installed by William Cooper Ltd, to close off the building quickly and efficiently.
The Kingframe through-wall AFS panels – incorporating a lightweight steel frame and Kingspan Kooltherm® K15 Rainscreen Board - were manufactured at Kingspan’s 12,000 m2 facility in Sherburn, North Yorkshire. They were then loaded into containers and delivered to site ready for installation. The proximity of the listed buildings and a busy dual carriageway prevented installation from the outside of the building. William Cooper used a forklift truck to deliver the nominated panels onto each floor and co-ordinated installation from the inside using a 4-man team.
Iain Grimley, William Cooper Director, explained: “There were a number of challenges on this site which meant we had to re-think the fitting of the Kingframe panels. It was simple to install them from the inside of the building and create a watertight envelope with impressive speed. We also benefited from reduced health and safety risks with fewer men working at height on the exterior of the structure.”
The Kingframe AFS panels have eco-credentials too: they exceed all required u-values and are compliant with current and forthcoming building regulations. Packaging waste is eliminated as the panels are delivered in a container which is returned when empty; and the unitised through-wall design means lower levels of carbon emissions from fewer deliveries of materials to site.
The building is finished in an attractive, modern combination of cedar panels and contrasting cladding. Design Group 3 Architects obviously made the grade as every unit was sold off plan, long before the doors were due to open!
