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Knauf Insulation made Business Champion for net zero carbon

Kenneth Booth July 21, 2021

Knauf Insulation has been selected as a net zero ‘Business Champion’ by the Construction Leadership Council and Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) for the CO2nstructZero initiative. It joins a select group of major contractors, consultants, architects, engineers, manufacturers and sub-contractors committed to demonstrating leadership and promoting best

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BDC 319 : Aug 2024

knauf

Knauf proudly announces partnership with the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity

Knauf proudly announces partnership with the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity

BDC News Team February 14, 2024

Knauf is delighted to announce it is now an official company supporter of the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity. The partnership underscores Knauf’s commitment to nurturing a positive impact within the construction sector by championing the wellbeing and mental health of industry professionals. The Lighthouse Charity is the UK’s only charity that is 100% dedicated to the emotional, physical and financial wellbeing of construction workers and their families. Its mission is to  ‘improve workforce welfare and wellbeing for this generation and the next.’ By becoming a company supporter, Knauf aims to contribute to the charity’s vital mission of promoting better mental health and wellbeing across the construction community. The collaboration gets to the heart of Knauf’s value ‘Menschlichkeit’ meaning humanity in German. It represents Knauf’s stance on ensuring everyone is treated with justice, integrity and respect. By becoming a company supporter of the charity, Knauf will be providing an annual charitable donation, meaning the charity can count on a sustainable income to allow the continuation and extension of its crucial services.   Colleagues at Knauf will be able to benefit from enhanced support from the charity, such as 24/7 telephone support from their Construction Industry Helpline, their self-support app and network of Lighthouse Beacons that offer a safe space for people to share their concerns and challenges. “We are excited to announce our partnership with the Lighthouse Charity, an organisation that shares our commitment to the wellbeing of those in our industry” said Emma Delaney, HR & Sustainability Director, Knauf UK & Ireland. “At Knauf, we believe in creating positive and supportive environments within the industry, and this partnership aligns seamlessly with our values. Together, we hope to make a meaningful impact on the lives of construction professionals ad contribute to a healthier, more resilient industry.” The collaboration with the Lighthouse Charity reflects Knauf’s dedication to corporate social responsibility and its recognition of the importance of mental health support in the construction field. By actively participating in initiatives that promote well-being and providing financial support where it’s needed most, Knauf aims to foster a culture of care and support within the industry. More information on the Lighthouse Charity can be found here. About Knauf Established in 1932, Knauf has evolved from a family business into a global force, operating in 90 countries with 41,000 employees. As a leading building products manufacturer, Knauf UK and Ireland started in 1988 with a state-of-the-art plasterboard factory in Sittingbourne, Kent, producing top-quality plasterboards and laminates. Following success, the Immingham Plasterboard Plant was built in 1990, to the same modern technical specification and has the capability to produce the complete range of Knauf plasterboards, thermal laminates and foil-backed plasterboards. In 1993, the Sittingbourne facility expanded with the UK Powder Plant, adding diverse products like Knauf Plasterboard Adhesive. In 2006, the Immingham plant expanded with energy-efficient technologies. The whole plant insulated, and two huge heat exchangers added, saving 10% of the plant’s energy requirements In 2013, Knauf unveiled The Cube, a modernist hub and training centre at the Sittingbourne site. The UK expansion continued in 2022 with the acquisition of a Newport, South Wales plasterboard plant, which will further increase plasterboard capacity. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Knauf Insulation’s Rocksilk® Soffit Linerboard creates a luxury look at Ashwood House

Kenneth Booth December 8, 2021

Ashwood House is a development of Manhattan-style apartments in the desirable Surrey commuter town, Camberley. Situated in a converted 1960s office block, developer Berkeley Homes Southern Ltd needed to ensure the 116 luxury flats were as energy efficient as possible. This was a particular concern for the properties situated above the first floor car park, which has open walls to allow adequate ventilation of exhaust fumes. As a result, the specification stipulated a U-value of 0.25 W/m²K. Chris Body, Business Development Director at RPN Ltd, the specialist sub-contractor at Ashwood House said: “We approached several insulation manufacturers to discuss the different options available. Knauf Insulation’s Rocksilk® Soffit Linerboard Standard met the brief in terms of thermal and fire performance. It can be used on uneven substrates and looks fantastic – all of which were key priorities for Berkeley Homes.” Aesthetic appeal How the insulation looked was an important part of the brief as Berkeley Homes wanted a solution that would be aesthetically pleasing. Rocksilk®Soffit Linerboard Standard features a black glass veil facing, so no additional finishing was required. This meant that RPN Ltd has been able to install the slabs perpendicular to the ring beam to create a quilted effect across the ceiling. A high-performance solution The other specification factors were thermal performance and fire safety. Knauf Insulation’s Technical Support Team undertook U-value calculations to determine that 130mm Rocksilk®Soffit Linerboard Standard would be required. It is manufactured from Rock Mineral Wool, has a thermal conductivity of just 0.034 W/mK and is designed to insulate structural soffits in applications such as open sided car parks. It is non-combustible with the best possible Euroclass A1 reaction to fire classification, so will not contribute to the development or spread of a fire should it occur. Rocksilk®Soffit Linerboard Standard also has excellent sound absorption characteristics so will help to ensure that residents are not disturbed by the noise of cars parking beneath their flats. Better for installers The insulation was supplied by distributors CCF Ltd who delivered it to the site in line with the schedule of works. It was then installed by RPN’s specialist team. Rocksilk®Soffit Linerboard Standard is easier to install correctly than other insulants. The product recipe makes each slab rigid, which ensures the insulation maintains continuous contact with the substrate, preventing gaps that can reduce thermal, fire and acoustic performance. Rocksilk®Soffit Linerboard Standard is manufactured with ECOSE® Technology, Knauf Insulation’s unique bio-based binder that contains no added formaldehyde or phenol. It is made from natural raw materials that are rapidly renewable, and is less energy-intensive to manufacture than traditional binders, so it is more environmentally friendly. Products made with ECOSE® Technology are soft to touch and easy to handle. They generate low levels of dust and VOCs, and have been awarded the Eurofins Gold Certificate for Indoor Air Comfort. This means they are kinder to the installers who use them too. A safe solution Ultimately, using Knauf Insulation’s Rocksilk®Soffit Linerboard Standard means the Ashwood House car park ceiling not only looks aesthetically pleasing, but it helps to meet the increasing demand for non-combustible insulation in car parks too.

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Knauf Insulation made Business Champion for net zero carbon

Kenneth Booth July 21, 2021

Knauf Insulation has been selected as a net zero ‘Business Champion’ by the Construction Leadership Council and Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) for the CO2nstructZero initiative. It joins a select group of major contractors, consultants, architects, engineers, manufacturers and sub-contractors committed to demonstrating leadership and promoting best practice to reduce construction carbon emissions. “Net zero is a colossal challenge, and to achieve it will require unprecedented collaboration” said Neil Hargreaves, Managing Director, Knauf Insulation Northern Europe. “As the biggest supplier of insulation into newbuild homes in the UK, and the nation’s only manufacturer of both Glass and Rock Mineral Wool, we know we have an important role to play. Especially as the industry transitions towards much stricter ‘real performance’ standards. We look forward to working with our partners across the supply chain to create a built environment that’s fit for the future.” Established earlier this year, CO2nstruct Zero is the construction industry’s zero carbon change programme. Business Champions are required to share tangible evidence of the steps they are taking to respond to the net zero carbon challenge, and to commit to sharing data and learnings with the industry. Business Champions include Arcadis, Costain, JCB, Laing O’Rourke, Mace and Travis Perkins. “Improved insulation will be at the heart of UK construction’s efforts to decarbonise, but operational carbon is only one side of the equation,” said Hargreaves. “To create genuinely low-carbon buildings, we’ll need to create them using low-carbon materials. That’s why we’re taking bold action now to reduce the embodied carbon and environmental impact of our products.” Knauf Insulation has set specific targets for 2025 as part of its recently published sustainability strategy, ‘For a Better World’. These include: Reducing the embodied carbon of its products by 15% compared with 2019; Investing 10% of its general capital expenditure on new sustainability projects; Cutting its organisational carbon footprint by at least 25%; Sending zero waste to landfill from its manufacturing plants across the group; Reducing virgin plastic packaging by 25%; Setting new higher minimum levels of recycled materials in products and packaging. For further information on Knauf Insulation’s ‘For A Better World’ sustainability strategy, visit www.knaufinsulation.co.uk/for-a-better-world.

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BBA awards first ever certification for rainscreen double layering and below DPCs to Knauf Insulation

Kenneth Booth June 18, 2021

Knauf Insulation’s Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab has earned the industry’s first BBA certification for double layering and for use below the damp proof course (DPC), making it certified for the broadest range of build-ups of any rainscreen solution on the market. “We know how much contractors value the peace of mind that comes from BBA certification,” said Luke Davies, Product Manager at Knauf Insulation. “Our RainScreen Slab is already certified for use in steel frames and behind masonry. Adding these applications and installation methods means customers can rely on Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab to provide a robust and durable solution, certified for all common rainscreen build-ups.” Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab is a non-combustible Rock Mineral Wool slab with Euroclass A1 reaction to fire classification, which means it complies with the strictest requirements of Approved Document B for dwelling buildings over 18m tall. It is available in the widest range of thicknesses up to 250mm, with a thermal conductivity of 0.034W/mK. Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab can be used in situations where it bridges the DPCs of the inner and outer leaf because it does not absorb water by capillary action. It is manufactured with a water repellent additive which also preserves its integrity while exposed during construction, and it has been wind load tested by the Building Research Establishment to a maximum design pressure of 3,600Pa or 76m/s – the equivalent of a category 5 hurricane. The BBA certification also covers timber frame applications with a masonry outer leaf, and on reinforced concrete substrates. Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab is optimised for ease of installation. The improved robustness of the product makes it easy to manoeuvre in place, while still being able to adapt to minor imperfections in the substrate. The product is supported with extensive installation guides, which cover the double layering and below DPC applications. Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab is manufactured using ECOSE® Technology, Knauf Insulation’s unique bio-based binder, which contains no added formaldehyde or phenol. Mineral Wool insulation made with ECOSE® Technology is more environmentally friendly than insulation made using traditional oil-based binders. It is also soft to touch, easy to handle, and it generates low levels of dust and VOCs. For more information on Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab, visit https://www.knaufinsulation.co.uk/rainscreen-solutions To speak with a member of the Knauf Insulation Technical Support Team about your project call 01744 766 666.

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