Saint-Gobain Isover - Helps Frame Wise push construction boundaries

Frame Wise are pushing timber-frame construction methods to the limit with a groundbreaking seven-storey development next to Swindon’s planning offices where all the insulation is supplied by Saint-Gobain Isover.
Frame Wise provides a complete timber frame solution for projects nationwide ranging from one-off houses, multiple sites, schools and multi-storey developments, and this includes insulation alongside floating floors, external and internal joinery, plant and equipment hire, and fall arrest safety systems.
At the Swindon site, where the seven-storey timber frame on a podium slab is due for completion next month (March), the brief to Frame Wise from developers Contract House Builders Ltd was for thermally efficient wall panels and speed of erection.
Therefore, Isover’s 140mm timber-frame batt 32 have been used in the external walls, 65mm and 100mm acoustic partition roll in the internal walls and floors respectively, and timber-frame batt 35 in the roof of 92 apartments.
Frame Wise managing director Simon Orrells said: “We use Isover on 9 out of 10 frames we supply because of its flexibility and large product range. Only Isover product has been used on this project. Given its unique nature, we had to have insulation products we could trust absolutely.”
The complete work on the former petrol station site in Swindon town centre started last summer and is due for completion this summer, with the seven-storey timber-frame taking just four months.
As well as wall panels that were thermally efficient and issues over party walls, Frame Wise’s brief was to have a flexible approach to the build and deal with the site constraints. Lack of access to the south elevation for scaffolding meant the panels had to be fully finished with brick slips or render and windows prior to being craned into position.
Simon Orrells added: “We specified the Isover insulation based on our past experience and their technical back-up and support. We’ve used it for about four years now and in this particular case, it enabled us to handle the much larger package. It has contributed to the environmental affect of the project and helps with the speed of the build.”

Email: tracy@tlcpr.co.uk