Isover helps to push the boat out

Isover’s APR 1200 roll is designed to provide high levels of acoustic enhancement to partitioning and dry wall systems in walls and floors and is the only glass wool product specified under British Gypsum’s life-long SpecSure system performance warranty.

Designed by BDP architects and patients of the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Sick Children, the £36 million project transforms the former Edwardian hospital into a modern unit fit for 21st century healthcare on the site of the Royal Sussex County Hospital.

Known as ‘The Ark’ due to its distinctive shape and proximity to the sea, it is designed to be open, full of sunlight and colour, and outward looking with no closed, claustrophobic corridors. More than 10,000m2 of Isover’s APR 1200 was supplied by Sheffield Insulations and installed by main contractors Kajima Europe.

As one of only seven dedicated paediatric hospitals in the UK, the landmark development contains 100 inpatient beds, three operating theatres, diagnostic and treatment facilities, an intensive care unit, cancer day centre, parent accommodation and children’s sun-decked play areas with panoramic views along the Brighton seafront.

APR 1200 offers excellent fire performance and has a zero ODP (Ozone Depletion Potential) and GWP (Global Warning Potential) rating. The product is also fully compatible with all standard building materials and components and is easy for the contractor to handle and install.

Chris Knapp, branch manager of Sheffield Insulations in Tonbridge, said: “The project has some innovative ideas and was purpose built for children. It is certainly a landmark building.

“The Isover product enhances the acoustic performance of the walls, ensuring the children are not disturbed from noise in the corridors or from adjacent rooms. We have a long-standing relationship with Isover and the product was readily available and the palletised rolls were of great assistance both to us and the site.”

Isover’s head of innovation Gerry Mitchell added: “Sometimes it takes a project such as The Ark to put the benefits of acoustic insulation into perspective. The bottom line is that there will be a more comfortable environment for the children being cared for and more pleasant working conditions for medical staff.”