Rock has evolved naturally over millions of years and has been the standard of construction since the stone age. But in a world where building materials need to work harder than ever, how can manufacturers advance these natural resources further to meet the growing needs of builders and their customers? Paul Barrett, head of product management at Rockwool UK, tells us more about its latest range of products made using NyRock® technology.
What is NyRock?
As the name suggests Rockwool insulation is made using diabase rock that’s naturally produced by the earth’s crust. We melt down this rock then spin it on machinery to form a fleece that’s then made into a variety of sizes and densities for insulation.
With NyRock technology – pronounced ‘new’ – we’ve built on our production processes by, amongst other things, adding new spinners, to make a more efficient fibre structure that’s denser and traps more air. This extra air helps slow the transfer of heat further and means we’ve made a range of insulation with greater thermal performance. In fact, our new range is the most thermally efficient stone wool insulation available currently in the UK.
What products are in the NyRock range?
We have two new products that we’re adding to the Rockwool Trade Range: Thermal Insulation Cavity Slab 032 and Thermal Frame Slab 032.
Why 032?
032 refers to the lambda rating of these products and is measured in Watts per Metre Kelvin (W/mK). Both Thermal Insulation Cavity Slab 032 and Thermal Frame Slab 032 have a 0.032 W/mK lambda rating.
Lambda, represented by the symbol ‘λ’, is a measure of thermal conductivity – how easily heat passes through a specific material. With insulation, you want a material with low thermal conductivity, so a lower lambda value is better.
On our packaging, you’ll see the different lambda ratings of our products so if you need better thermal performance, look for the lower lambda.
Tell us more about the new products. Where can they be used?
Thermal Insulation Cavity Slab 032 is for masonry cavities and can be used in both full fill and partial fill applications.
With its 0.032 W/mK thermal conductivity value, it’s a great solution to answer the new higher thermal requirements of Approved Document L in England. When you need to achieve a U-value of 0.18 W/m²K for example, builders can use 150mm of Thermal Insulation Cavity Slab 032, depending on the wall build up planned, which is 25mm thinner than the standard stone wool cavity products within the same wall build up.
The second product is Thermal Frame Slab 032 that can be used in a variety of external timber and steel applications, including with a brick outer and with or without a service void.
Do they need to be installed differently?
Not at all. Stone wool insulation is highly pliable meaning it can be closely friction fitted to frames, without the need for precise cutting. This is helpful because there’s less room for error and also makes it easier to get a snug fit, without gaps through which heat can escape.
Our slabs are also designed to knit together which again helps with a seamless finish.
All slabs can be cut with an insulation saw or knife with a serrated blade where needed and then pushed into the frame for a tight fit.
Why should installers consider these new products if they don’t usually use stone wool?
There are huge benefits to stone wool – including fire and acoustic performance, and ease of installation – but until now, levels of thermal performance weren’t quite on a par with other popular insulation types such as glass wool for example. With these new products, installers can get a new level of thermal performance for stone wool, with all the added benefits that will really appeal to customers and of course, easy fitting.
Our stone wool insulation is built for the long term with independent research showing it remains effective for the life of the building and as our slabs have a high density semi rigid composition, will not slump or sag in the cavity.
More and more customers, and Building Regulations, are rightly focused on ongoing ‘as-built’ so there are big advantages to choosing an insulation that keeps energy requirements lower for years to come.
Stone wool is also able to withstand temperatures in excess of 1,000°C and achieves the highest Euroclass A1 non-combustible reaction to fire classification. Its fibre orientation and increased density also helps to trap sound waves and dampen vibrations, significantly reducing outside noise when used in an external wall.
When are the new products available?
They’re available now from merchants nationwide. To find your nearest stockist go to www.rd.link
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For further information on NyRock from Rockwool UK visit www.rdr.link
