Beautiful, fire resistant Rockpanel façade for Eyot House, Bermondsey, London

Rockpanel is busy working across the UK on projects where regulations  amended in 2018, regarding buildings over 18 metres high, mean their exterior cladding systems must comply with stringent fire safety performance characteristics.

Bermondsey Spa regeneration

One such project sits at the heart of the Bermondsey Spa area, near to the River Thames and Tower Bridge in London. The area has undergone massive  regeneration over the last fifteen years with 15 key sites identified for development across 20 hectares. As part of these plans, the original buildings were demolished and new affordable housing, commercial remises, public space and community facilities built in their place. There are now more than 15,000 residents living in this vibrant community, enjoying an eclectic mix of restaurants, shops and busy weekend markets.

Transformation to fire-safety

The Hyde Group are owners of seven storey Eyot House, and two neighbouring apartment buildings, which replaced original 1950s blocks. Working with main contractor, Engie UK Places & Communities, Eyot has  recently undergone complete replacement of its external façade to ensure fire safety and compliance with Building (Amendment) Regulations  2018. The requirement is for a building that is over 18m in height to have all components in the external wall of at least EN13501 Class A2-s1,d0.

Daniel Assender of multi-disciplinary construction consultancy, Martin Arnold, was appointed by The Hyde Group as designer, contract administrator and clerk of works for the project. Daniel explained, “Rockpanel was specified as the only non-aluminium, A2 rated product able to meet our design brief, being light, flexible and offering great aesthetic choice in terms of colour and surface finish.”

The Rockpanel and ROCKWOOL system

Leading external envelope solution specialists, TetraClad, were tasked with replacing the existing cladding with a completely new fire-safe system. The firm’s Technical Director Adrian Buckmaster said, “We used non-combustible sheathing board, which provides 90 minutes fire resistance; ROCKWOOL Duoslab insulation (A1 non-combustible); ROCKWOOL OSCB Cavity Barriers, and Rockpanel A2. We used the Rockpanel A2 as it  complies with the Building (Amendment) Regulations 2018.”

Rockpanel Area Sales Manager Gerald Roper, “Around 1600 m² of Rockpanel A2 was installed at Eyot House. We were able to supply RAL matched colour, metallic and natural wood surface design options which closely resembled the existing scheme. The project has been a great success and, using the same system, we are planning to transform neighbouring, Hyde Group owned, Prospect and Hicks apartment blocks.” Adrian Buckmaster of TetraClad went on to say, “We have worked with Rockpanel before. Their products are lightweight and easy to cut on site without the need to seal edges, making installation quicker, saving time and money.”

Unrivalled colour and surface design options

Rockpanel A2 enables specifiers to realise their most creative ambitions safe in the knowledge the reality of those intentions will satisfy the most stringent fire safety standards. Whichever of the special surface design collections or colours are chosen, specifiers can count on the high durability, complete weather, temperature and UV resistance and little or no maintenance throughout its long life.

We used panels in a mixture of seven special colours matched to RAL specifications. Along with them we incorporated accent sections in Graphite Grey from our Metals range and Cherry from our highly realistic natural Woods collection. This selection of surface designs more than met the original brief of needing to achieve a similar appearance to the panels which were replaced, but also added a sense of superior quality and contemporary visual revitalisation.

Products used at Eyot House

Rockpanel A2 in seven RAL colours plus Metals: Graphite Grey and Woods: Cherry.

ROCKWOOL OSCB Cavity Barriers

ROCKWOOL Duoslab insulation (A1 non-combustible); Non-combustible sheathing board providing 90 minutes fire resistance

*Disclaimer: Due to changes in our assortment, it is possible that the designs shown in this case study are no longer available. Feel free to contact us in case of doubt.