TEK Building System
High performance structural insulated panels
Since 2002, Friends of Victoria Park has helped support the care and improvement of the much-loved public space in Stretford, Greater Manchester. This work has included operating a local community building and investing any profits back into the park. By 2019, the original, temporary community building was in urgent need of improvement and the decision was taken to demolish it and construct an entirely new building.
Following extensive fundraising from the charity, Loop Systems was appointed to design the all-new building, housing both a tea-room and community facilities. With the centre often housing groups until late into the night, the new building needed to be highly insulated to ensure comfort and limit heating costs. In addition, with so many community-based initiatives, local groups and charities relying on use of the centre, speed of build was also essential.
LOCATIONStretford, UK
ArchitectMcVeigh Offsite Ltd
ProductsTEK Building System
To meet requirements, Kingspan TEK Delivery Partners, McVeigh Offsite, used the Kingspan TEK Building System to form the walls and roof of the new facility.
Offsite performance
The TEK Building System comprises Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs). These SIPs feature a rigid insulation core which is sandwiched between two layers of Oriented Strand Board (OSB/3). Loop Systems specified the 172 mm thick TEK SIPs for the pitched roof of the centre, along with 142 mm panels for the external walls. Both panels deliver excellent thermal performance, achieving typical whole wall and roof U-values of at least 0.16 W/m2K and 0.20 W/m2K respectively. The unique jointing system helps to ensure insulation continuity across the envelope and in combination with the panel’s OSB/3 facing, it can support the construction of highly airtight buildings.
McVeigh Offsite developed CAD plans for the panel constructions based on Loop System’s designs. Once these were agreed, the panels were machine cut in a quality-controlled environment, ensuring the finished panels matched precisely with the CAD designs, including openings for windows and doors. This offsite approach allowed a predictable fabrication process, even during the midst of the pandemic.
Speed of build
The building’s location in the middle of a public park meant that a carefully scheduled construction process was vital to the success of the project as Jim McVeigh, from McVeigh Offsite, explained:
“Site coordination was vital on the project as there was restricted access and minimal security in the park. For this reason, all the installation products that were delivered onsite needed to be fixed that day, we couldn’t leave any materials or equipment unfixed overnight.”
The panels were delivered in batches and rapidly erected by McVeigh Offsite’s experienced installation team. Despite the site’s challenges, the modular design of the TEK panels ensured a rapid installation. The lightweight panels were easily lifted using mechanical lifting equipment and their factory fabrication ensured minimal alterations were needed on site. Overall, it took McVeigh Offsite just two weeks to erect the 175 m2 of wall panels and 240 m2 of roof panels.
Once the outer shell was erected, the building was rapidly made weathertight by fitting a breather membrane on the outer face of the panels and installing the doors and windows. This approach meant that work on the internal plumbing and electrics could get underway whilst the timber wall cladding and cement roof cladding was being installed, further reducing the overall project timeline. Despite work being carried out during the middle of the pandemic, this offsite approach ensured the project could go from initial ground works to completion in just seven months.
Page Reviewed 14/03/25
Products Used in this Project
Find out more about the products used on this project below