Apr 21 2009
Rockwool, the world’s leading manufacturer of non-combustible stone wool insulation solutions, has won the contract to supply insulation materials worth approximately £1 million for the BBC’s refurbished Broadcasting House headquarters in central London.
The project will commence shortly and is expected to be completed in February 2010. Rockwool insulation will be used to insulate all the mechanical services such as pipework and ductwork within the building.
The thermal insulation properties of Rockwool’s ducting slab and wrap products will be crucial to ensuring the refurbished Broadcasting House is as energy efficient as possible. They will also provide fire protection for the smoke extract ductwork.
Ron Turner from Abbey Thermal, the thermal insulation contractor, said: “We conducted a comprehensive due diligence process to identify an insulation product that could meet our high standards for thermal, acoustic and passive fire protection performance. Rockwool’s products met all these key criteria, while offering a sustainable solution for the BBC’s insulation requirements. A number of insulation products in the market are unstable for use around ducting and pipe work, because they react negatively with water and steam, corroding surrounding metalwork. As a mineral wool product Rockwool insulation can be used throughout this landmark building.”
Andy Halsall, Director of UK Sales at Rockwool, said: “The BBC’s new Broadcasting House building will be its global headquarters and as such needs to demonstrate the Corporation’s commitment to the environment and its ambition to limit its carbon footprint. Rockwool’s insulation materials will help the BBC achieve these objectives. The insulation products have zero Ozone Depleting Potential (ODP) and Global Warming Potential (GWP) and are entirely recyclable once the building reaches the end of its life or requires further renovation.”
The project is part of the larger £400m refurbishment of BBC Broadcasting House, which began in 2005. It will create the biggest live broadcast centre in the world and the building will ultimately house the BBC’s domestic and international news and the national networks of BBC Radio, including 36 radio studios and six TV studios.