Kingspan provides tapered roof solution at innovative Cambridge offices

Situated at the heart of the prestigious North Cambridge Research and Design Cluster, the Maurice Wilkes Building offers five floors of Grade ‘A’ office space topped with Kingspan Thermataper TT47.

The stylish building, named after the pioneering computer scientist, has been developed by St John’s College and Turnstone Estates in response to growing demand within the Cambridge area. The design from Barber Casanovas Ruffles meets the requirements of the wider St John’s Innovation Park – that the building be classic, rational and timeless – whilst adding drama with a tented canopy on the façade above the southern entrance.

Vinci Construction UK acted as main contractor on the scheme, which has achieved a BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’. To reach this, a number of passive and active measures have been implemented within the building design. To limit heat loss from the expansive flat roof, whilst also ensuring effective drainage, Kingspan Thermataper TT47 was specified.

The tapered insulation system, which combines rigid flat packer boards, tapered boards and pre-mitred hip and valley boards. With thermal conductivities as low as 0.24 W/mK, it provided an efficient, lightweight solution for the roof of the Maurice Wilkes building which eliminated the need for a structural fall on the roof.

The application was supported by Kingspan’s specialist tapered roofing service, who used the roof plans from Barber Casanovas Ruffles to develop a detailed tapered roofing scheme. This ensures that the surface will drain effectively and allowed the target U-value of 0.15 W/m2K to be met with a minimal construction depth, helping the project team to achieve credits within the BREEAM assessment.

Once the system was delivered to site, contractors were able to complete a fast-track installation following the clear system plan provided by the tapered service team. The pre-mitred hip and valley boards also reduced the need for onsite cutting and site waste.

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