Scott Brownrigg's new events-ready Ice Arena Wales in Cardiff demanded exacting standards, which were met by Euroclad's bespoke wall profile build
Euroclad's Vieo wall profile system has been specified at the new 6000m2 Ice Arena Wales, designed by Scott Brownrigg Architects in south Wales. Built in Cardiff Bay, the building has been designed as a world-class sports arena, with two ice pads, seating for 3,000 spectators, and the long-term capacity to hold world and European-standard events.
With such a demanding and exacting brief, there were a number of challenges to overcome from the outset, primarily the choice of roof and wall products to achieve the aesthetics. Euroclad’s Vieo wall profile was chosen to help deliver the sleek, modern and unique aesthetic experience that stood out among other world-class venues.
The functional needs of the building also presented an unprecedented series of challenges, driven by the internal operational environment of the Ice Arena, specifically temperature control and noise regulation. Ultimately, the building called for a building envelope solution that delivered superior thermal insulation and acoustic reduction, which met the requirements of customers, local planning and building regulatory standards.
The combined acoustic and thermal specification of the building envelope was met by the Vieo wall construction and the Secret Fix SF500 roof, supplied as a version of Elite System 3, a defined roof system with specified performance and a system guarantee. To meet the combined requirements, Euroclad supplied attractive, high performance systems for the roof and walls of the building.
A bespoke build-up was developed which required an insulation product that could be installed on all elevations. Specified and installed as part of the roof and wall systems, the insulation needed to be of single density with a high compression strength - without being too dense - to avoid any potential for interference with the acoustics.
Through consultation with Knauf Insulation’s technical support team, a bespoke product was developed to deliver a thermal conductivity of 0.036 W/mK. This unique product was developed within Euroclad’s timescales, managing to meet the stringent project specifications, even with a variety of acoustic and thermal testing included as part of the product development. The resultant engineered roof and wall systems were enhanced versions of well-established Euroclad assemblies, which outperformed the acoustic requirement laid out by the design teams. The use of alternative constructions and materials, combined with tried and tested products and systems, has identified a new way to construct these systems should exceptional thermal or acoustic performance be required.
The supply chain worked together closely to transform the challenging design brief into reality. An example of this collaborative approach can be seen in the way that the roof and wall systems were developed, with valuable input from all parties, which resulted in a new system that:
- achieved the demanding performance requirements;
- could be manufactured efficiently;
- could be practically installed;
- didn’t compromise the desired visual appeal.
Specialist contractor Massey Cladding Solutions installed the roof and walls. Managing director, Ray Massey commented: 'After designing the roof and walling systems, Euroclad supplied us with the insulation materials we required. I was very impressed with the laboratory tested products as they met our brief accurately.'
The Vieo walls of the Ice Arena Wales were manufactured from Colorcoat Prisma in Silver Metallic, Grey Aluminium and Anthracite; a solution that provided the building with diverse, complementary colours that define and enhance the distinct aesthetic design. The Secret Fix SF500 roof was manufactured from Colorcoat HPS200 Ultra pre-finished steel in Goosewing Grey; a solution that complemented the distinct wall aesthetics, while also providing superior durability and corrosion protection for the harsher external rooftop environment.
Elite Systems offer a 25-year system guarantee, which covers the entire package of components that are either manufactured by Euroclad or sourced from the leading manufacturers of construction products. This combines to add peace of mind for the entire roof and wall systems.
For more information and technical support visit: www.euroclad.com
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