Queen's Business School
Queen’s University Belfast takes step forward in its Net Zero Plan with state-of-the-art building.
Case Study4 min read
TODD Architects worked closely with the school staff to develop the design and layout of the new facility. This included the choice to group classrooms into junior and senior wings, as opposed to the traditional approach whereby students were grouped based on their special needs type. This offers a new and exciting prospect for students as they can begin to feel a sense of progression, moving from one part of the school to another each year and interacting with students of other abilities and needs.
Work on the project began in 2018 with an official ‘cutting of the sod’ by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. With Tracey Bros Ltd carrying out construction of the school on the site of the previous building, students were temporarily moved into modular buildings whilst a phased demolition was carried out.
Along with the excellent facilities, limiting operational costs for the school was also a priority in the specification.
LOCATIONCo. Cavan, Ireland
ArchitectTODD Architects
For this reason, Kooltherm K8 Cavity Board was specified for the rendered blockwork walls with Thermafloor TF70 fitted on the ground floors.
With thermal conductivities as low as 0.021 W/mK, the use of Kooltherm K8 ensured that the project U-value of 0.21 W/m²K could be met with a 70 mm insulation thickness. This approach maximised internal floorspace, providing a more spacious and welcoming environment for students.
The Tracey Bros Ltd installers fitted the rigid boards flush with the internal leaf of the cavity walls, leaving a 50 mm residual cavity width. The lightweight boards could be easily cut to size using standard site equipment.
For the ground floor construction, Thermafloor TF70 boards were fitted. With a thermal conductivity of 0.022 W/mK and a declared compressive stress of 140 kPa at 10% compression, the boards provide a high-performance solution for applications within a range of floor constructions including beam and block, suspended and solid concrete. Their lightweight, rigid design also makes them well suited for projects like Holy Family Special School which feature a large ground floor area. Tracey Bros Ltd fitted a 50 mm thickness of Thermafloor TF70 which was installed beneath the concrete slab with a separation layer above it to achieve a U-value of 0.15 W/m²K.
Page updated 17/07/2025
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