A brand new six-storey apartment block at the Abbey Wall development in Merton, London, has been constructed over a third faster than traditional methods thanks to a light steel frame system.
Constructed in just 25 weeks by RJB Interiors on behalf of main developer, Indigo Scott, the mixed-use residential scheme comprises 66 apartments and a commercial unit to the ground floor. A typical concrete frame project of this size would likely run to a 30- week programme to install the frame, followed by a further 10 weeks of exterior wall construction. In contrast, the Intrastack solution was installed fully in just 25 weeks.
Due to the six-storeys and composite concrete floor, a lighter, more versatile structure was required to support the construction. The developer opted for Intrastack’s light gauge steel system. Not only was it able to provide the right strength and weight-bearing capacity for the apartment construction, but it also enabled the team to speed up the build programme to deliver a quicker return on investment.
An efficient and cost-effective programme
Critical to the project’s success was the ability to manufacture the steel frame offsite, using a ‘just-in-time’ approach to help improve build times and eliminate on-site fabrication. This process was carefully co-ordinated with planned delivery sequences to complement the build programme and ensure a seamless installation process.
“We pride ourselves in delivering an efficient and cost-effective programme for our clients,” says Matthew Kirby, Commercial Director from RJB Interiors. “The combination of the speed of construction on-site, alongside a high quality, durable endproduct from Intrastack has enabled us to deliver an overall cost saving to our client. We spent approximately 15 weeks less on-site than would have been required with a concrete frame construction. This clearly translates into labour and plant cost savings, estimated to be in the region of £60,000.
“Fabricating the panels offsite in a quality, process-driven manufacturing environment has helped to reduce health and safety concerns. With no cutting or fabrication required on-site, we were able to reduce site preliminaries and plant costs, with rapid construction of the primary structure, allowing us to commence on site activities much earlier than with a traditional construction.
“In particular, the offsite manufacturing techniques meant that waste was handled in a controlled environment, and we had confidence that any offcuts would be either reused or recycled. This is a significant benefit on-site, and we estimate that waste was reduced by as much as 50%, plus the associated time of processing and managing waste disposals. Much of the build also took place during the winter months with exposure to the British weather. The steel frame is less dependent on-site and weather conditions during construction than traditional methods and has enabled a greater productivity rate on-site.”
The Intrastack solution is designed to provide the full primary structure in multi-occupancy buildings; it is delivered pre-panelised to site for installation to create the finished loadbearing structure. According to the Steel Construction Institute (SCI), a key benefit of this type of light steel frame construction system is that foundation loads and sizes are reduced by over 70% relative to concrete and blockwork construction.
Accurate & long-lasting solution
Accuracy of the finished structure was to within just a couple of millimetres. Combined with the average lifespan of a steel framed building with warm wall construction, which can be as much as 250 years, the overall result is a high-quality, durable solution. Indigo Scott is committed to improving its sustainability credentials across each construction project. In doing so the business prioritises thermal performance and is dedicated to reducing on-site waste to reduce the overall carbon footprint.
This meant the Intrastack steel frame system was a natural choice due to its high level of thermal insulation and airtightness. When it comes to light steel framing and modular construction, embodied carbon in the building fabric is reduced by 20% and site waste is virtually eliminated – this is a huge feat compared to the average 10% wastage that occurs when using traditional materials and methods.
Building on investment
Intrastack has invested over £250,000 on comprehensive system testing to ensure each suite of products meets all building performance requirements. By combining steel frame construction with a concrete floor, the buildings acoustic performance is enhanced, and the tested fire performance offers 120 minutes of protection.
Matthew Grant, Technical Product Manager from Intrastack said: “We provide a complete ‘through the wall’ offer, comprising the internal and external boards, composite concrete floors, and insulation. From the initial concept drawings, we have worked with RJB and Indigo Scott to construct a durable, high performance steel frame system that would meet their needs for speed of construction, improved on-site safety and a reduction in build costs.
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