Icynene spray form insulation for new Baptist church in Dumfries

Designers of a new community Baptist Church, recently completed in Dumfries, turned to spray applied insulation specialists, Icynene to solve a complex insulation challenge.

The Church is a 2000sqm, multi-purpose building designed by Glasgow based, McLean Architects and built in the Georgetown district of Dumfries.

The building was conceived as a flexible-use community hub comprising worship, conference and youth facilities together a full specification games hall and multi-use games area.

For the games hall, McLean Architects designed an 18.00x 18.00 m sq 8.00m high structure comprising a 140mm thick internal leaf of concrete blockwork with an external steel frame, supporting fibre-cement rain-screen cladding.

Top, above: McLean Architects designed an 18.00x 18.00 m sq 8.00m high sports hall structure comprising an internal leaf of concrete blockwork with an insulated external steel frame with fibre-cement rain-screen cladding. The 2000sqm, multi-purpose complex was completed in 2019. Image courtesy of McLean Architects. Glasgow

Here, the placement of insulation between the blockwork and the cladding system proved problematic. Project Architect Kirsty Wilson explains. “The complex latticework of steel frame for the cladding made it extremely difficult to install conventional rigid board insulation. Achieving the required air tightness standards would have been pretty much impossible”

Icynene was sprayed directly onto the blockwork and over the concealed sections of cladding framework.The complex latticework of steel frame for the cladding made it extremely difficult to install conventional rigid board insulation. Icynene expands 100-fold within seconds of application, sealing all gaps, service holes and hard to reach spaces.

The chosen solution was to use Icynene, a high-performance, water blown spray foam insulation system, applied directly to the outer face of the blockwork, which was then covered by the cladding.

Icynene is predominantly an open cell foam which is applied using a pressurised gun system. The foam expands 100-fold within seconds of application, sealing all gaps, service holes and hard to reach spaces, virtually eliminating cold bridging and air leakage, which can cause up to 40% of heat loss from a building.

Icynene MDC-200 foam insulation was applied to the entire outer leaf of the games hall, an area of approximately 550 sqm and to a thickness of 150mm. The work was completed over a four-day period.

For more information on Icynene Spray Applied Insulation products visit icynene.co.uk