Sundolitt XPS, extreme strength, extruded polystyrene is helping provide high insulation levels, strength and rigidity to a new swimming pool which will play an important role in the rehabilitation of injured and sick police officers from Northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The pool installation, at Castlebrae Police Treatment Centre in Auchterarder, Perthshire, is part of a £2.5 million redevelopment to improve and extend facilities to accommodate the needs of some 1,650 serving and retired police officers who use the centre each year. The work includes the new – much larger – pool alongside a new hydrotherapy pool and a larger fitness and exercise hall with a purpose-built spin bike studio.
The XPS has been supplied in varying dimensions to accommodate the sloping design of the pool and is an important sub-structure prior to the pouring of the concrete base and tile finish. The pool contractor, John Preston Pool and Spa, says that the Sundolitt XPS allows speed and simplicity of installation with minimal on-site preparation as well as guaranteeing high insulation performance which will help keep energy costs down at the centre – a crucial factor as 85% of running costs have to come from police donations.
The project is due to be completed by spring next year and is being funded by the registered charity “The Police Treatment Centres” which runs Castlebrae. Deputy Chief Executive and centre manager Paul Grant said, “Every 27 minutes a police officer is assaulted on the street. They come to us for help and support – most with the intention of wanting to get back on the front line. The refurbishment of Castlebrae’s treatment pool is vital to many patients’ rehabilitation.”
Sundolitt XPS has already proved ideal in industrial floors such as cold stores and chilled warehouses where high insulation, high strength attributes are critical but, in this application, it is helping keep water temperature up and the running costs down as well as providing rigid support and protection against differential heave for the pool.
“XPS is now a preferred solution for a wide range of applications where extreme strength is needed combined with high insulation properties. This includes solid flooring and foundations, inverted roofing and for insulating railway lines, airports and roads wherever heavy loads and high moisture levels are encountered” said Bryan Mawer Sundolitt’s Sales Manager Construction Products and their specialist in XPS.
Sundolitt XPS is manufactured in a wide range of thicknesses and sheet sizes - the primary range has a thermal conductivity of 0.033 – 0.037 W/mK (EN 13164). According to the type of use, it achieves outstanding compression resistance from 200 – 700 kPa (EN826) and offers exceptionally low moisture absorption through its closed-pore system - making it an ideal thermal insulator for a wide range of commercial and domestic construction applications.
“Our XPS is unaffected by rain, snow or frost and can be stored outside. We also make it available in square or shiplap edge – the latter having the advantage of preventing thermal bridging should the XPS boards part slightly during installation,” said Mr Mawer.
Sundolitt XPS can also make a major contribution to the UK’s carbon reduction programmes. It is made without using environmentally harmful gases and is fully recyclable if recovered at end-of-life. And with the built-environment accounting for 40% of Europe’s energy consumption, the greater energy efficiency that comes from using Sundolitt XPS can, in some cases, reduce total energy consumption in buildings and structures by 75%.
On any given week there can be more than 60 officers resident at the Castlebrae Centre and the new development will help overcome the limitations on class size imposed by the older facilities as well as allowing for the increasing demand for rest, recuperation and professional help in getting back to good health.
“We’re pleased to be playing a small part in such an important project,” said Sundolitt’s Bryan Mawer. “One thing is for sure, XPS will keep performing for a very long time to come.” Sundolitt’s UK expert team can help and advise architects and specifiers on the most appropriate specification for their needs.
Donations to the Police Treatment centres are crucial to their ongoing work. Please donate by visiting www.thepolicetreatmentcentres.org
