Thermal Efficiency

Nuspan Insulated Precast Concrete Units (IPCU) offer excellent thermal performance which is provided by bonding EPS material to the underside of the precast unit.

Excellent insulating properties

Extensively reducing cold bridging, the advanced design and material composition of the system makes a positive contribution to the reduction in CO2 emissions by decreasing the amount of fossil fuel required to heat the building.

The thermal performance of each project is assessed in accordance with EN ISO 13370:1998 to ensure compliance. In addition:

• U-Values as low as 0.10 W/m2K can be achieved depending on the P/A ratio;
• Significant thermal mass;
• A significant reduction in thermal bridging is achieved;
• The Nuspan Technical Team is available from design stage to discuss the advantages and application of the Nuspan floor system;
• A choice of products is available depending on your budget and requirements.

The Nuspan advantage

• Nuspan Insulated Precast Concrete Units (IPCU) maximise the thermal performance of ground floors by forming a deep, layer of insulation across the entire floor;
• The design of Nuspan Units minimises the thermal bridging effect of the structural concrete to give a high thermal resistance for the suspended floor;
• Within the NuSpan units the structural concrete is cast onto the insulation, avoiding air gaps and therefore minimising heat loss by air movement;
• The insulation on each Nuspan unit is continuous and the Units are butted with their insulation layers tight together, thus avoiding gaps in the insulation layer;
• Nuspan units cover the entire floor area, providing the same performance across the entire floor.

Thermal comparison with traditional solutions

Forming suspended ground floors with conventional T-Beam and Block construction methods makes it difficult to achieve the high standards of thermal performance necessary to comply with Building Regulations. Some improvement in performance is possible by replacing the concrete blocks with EPS insulation units which are specifically shaped to make contact beneath the beams with an aim of providing a continuous layer of insulation.

However, even slight irregularities in setting-out can result in breaks in the insulation layer, leading to air movement around the units and increased heat loss. In addition, the perimeter of such systems is generally formed with concrete blocks with only a thin layer of insulation fixed beneath. This inevitably downgrades the performance of the whole floor.

Junctions

The stringent requirements for energy efficient buildings means designers must consider not only heat loss which occurs through building elements (expressed by their U-values) but also the heat loss which occurs at the junctions between building elements, such as the wall to floor junction.

One of the key factors in minimising heat loss at junctions is ensuring continuity of insulation at the junction.

That is difficult with conventional suspended floor constructions, as the floor insulation stops at the internal face of the wall and the insulation is often in the wall cavity.

Nuspan Insulated Precast Concrete Units (IPCU) reduce heat loss at the wall-floor junction. Because the units bear on the inner leaf of cavity walls, the insulation extends beyond the floor to the face of the wall cavity. The insulation within the cavity then butts that on the Nuspan Unit to give continuous insulation across the junction.