Polymer pipes
specialist, REHAU has supplied a range of underfloor heating pipe equipment to
Instacoustics, who have been appointed on a prestigious new development in
London.
South Quay Plaza in
Canary Wharf is set to be one of the tallest residential buildings in Europe
when completed.
REHAU’s RAUTHERM PE-xa
underfloor heating pipe was chosen by Instacoustic to be specified and
installed in a total of 685 apartments across 67 floors in the building, to
provide underfloor heating with the Instacoustic cradle and batten system.
The building owners
were looking for a premium underfloor heating that would complement the
acoustic solutions chosen. REHAU developed the system in conjunction with a
leading provider of quality acoustic flooring, wall and acoustic ceiling
systems – Instacoustic. Together, the brands were able to supply an acoustic
solution specifically for use in residential buildings where individual
dwellings were in close proximity.
Tony Harbour, Senior
Commercial Manager at REHAU, said: “We are excited to have supplied our
equipment to Instacoustics and this new high-profile apartment development and
it is testament to the quality, flexibility, operational performance and
reputation of the Rautherm range.
“Our experience in the
manufacture and supply of underfloor heating pipe is extensive and our
knowledgeable team worked closely with Instacoustic, architects and contractors
to deliver this state-of-the-art solution for South Quay Plaza.”
With over 25 years’
experience, Instacoustic is popular known for providing innovative
environmentally friendly products that help specifiers and developers with
comprehensive sustainable solutions for effective sound insulation on new
build, conversion and refurbishment projects.
Instacoustic’s
patented acoustic systems are designed and manufactured to the highest
standards and exceed, the latest building regulations to provide extremely high
standards of acoustic control against the transmission of impact and airborne
sound.
REHAU was tasked with
engineering an underfloor heating system that would fit within the fixed
structure provided by Instacoustic. Together, both brands created a support
bracket and a pre-routed support panel for the underfloor heating that created
very thermal transfer. In essence they developed a system that provided an
effective, thermally efficient and dry installation that delivered on excellent
acoustics for the building’s residents.
Matthew Miller,
National Sales Director at Instacoustic said: “Close to five years ago we
identified that underfloor heating with premium floor systems was something the
market desired and we have seen massive success since we decided to venture
into this area.
“In this dynamic
industry, REHAU’s products and services definitely complement ours and it
seemed like the perfect partnership for this project. South Quay is our first
big project with REHAU and I am glad to say that it was a massive success.
“REHAU’s technical
expertise is second to none and the information and support provided by them
helped us to a deliver a system easily and efficiently, especially on a site
level. As a brand, REHAU is quite competitive commercially and I believe their
quality products at great price helped us win the project overall.”
REHAU has been
supplying underfloor heating pipe for more than 50 years and uses the
high-pressure peroxide method of crosslinking in manufacture, which was
pioneered by the company. The pipework can tolerate extreme temperature
and impact and will withstand pressure surges more effectively than pipe made
from copper, steel or CPVC while also avoiding water hammer.
Renowned for its
flexibility and durability, PE-Xa is a crosslinked polyethylene material which
is achieved via a change in its molecular structure thereby chemically linking
the polymer chains to form a three-dimensional network. Operating temperature
and pressure ratings on PE-Xa pipes manufactured for underfloor heating
applications include 6 bar at 70°C and short term temperature resistance of up
to 110°C in case of malfunctioning safety equipment. All REHAU PE-Xa pipes
always have minimum burst pressures way above normal operating pressures.
The product also
boasts some environmental credentials which include an overall lower cost to
the environment when compared to alternative piping options, with no chlorine
being used in its manufacture. With smooth interior walls and excellent
flow characteristics, pumping costs can be reduced and energy is saved to
provide a faster delivery of hot water. Heat loss is also kept to a
minimum and there is no condensation through pipes when compared to equivalent
copper products
South Quay Plaza has
been developed by Berkeley Group and was designed by Foster & Partners
Architects. Consultants for the project were WSP. Situated in
Canary Wharf, the building is a mixed use, sustainable waterside
development.
