An innovative modular panel system is being used to provide supports for fixtures and fittings on metal stud partitions for the interior fit out of the new Technology and Innovation Centre (TIC) for the University of Strathclyde.
SmartPly DyBacker was used for this project based on the speed and ease of installation it offers, combined with the strong and secure anchorage it provides.
The £89m Technology and Innovation Centre, currently being built by Lend Lease, for the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow will add a new dimension to one of Scotland’s largest universities. The project, which began in February 2014 and will be completed in Winter 2014, is designed to accommodate some 850 people. The aim of the building is to become an interface for the integration of academia and industry.
At nine storeys high, fit-out of the new building demanded a large volume of partitioning panels that could be installed quickly as the construction programme allowed. In total 9,500m2 of SmartPly DryBacker has been supplied by the Airdrie branch of Buildbase and installed by commercial interior solutions specialist, Linear Projects Ltd.
The speed of fit out with SmartPly DryBacker panels is facilitated by engineered vertical side recesses to accommodate the ‘C’ shaped metal studs used in partition wall construction. Thanks to the uniform structure of SmartPly OSB a fixing can be made at any point on the panel’s surface. This means that, unlike plywood, there is no risk of inherent weaknesses caused by core voids or surface knotholes.
Once installed the strong OSB panel provides optimum stability in the partition wall, making it ideal for the application of fixtures and fittings as part of an interior fit-out programme.
SmartPly DryBacker is also the environmental choice. As part of the SmartPly range, panels are manufactured from locally sourced FSC certified timber, providing peace of mind and helping specifiers and contractors avoid the use of tropical plywood. Panels also carry the CE mark in accordance with the Construction Products Regulation to assure EUTR compliance.