Knauf Drywall's partition offers cost savings

Significant building cost savings are expected in the healthcare sector with the introduction of a simplified acoustic partition design for hospitals from Knauf Drywall.

The 52dB(Rw) design satisfies key requirements of Health Technical Memorandum 08-01 Acoustics, and is an addition to Knauf Drywall's Performer range of partition systems, including optimised designs for healthcare projects.

Knauf Drywall's new hospital partition achieves its money-saving performance with just one layer of 15mm Knauf Soundshield on each side of a 92mm Knauf 'C' Stud, with a layer of 100mm Knauf Modular Roll compressed into the cavity.

Like other solutions in the Knauf Performer range for Healthcare projects, it has 'severe' impact duty rating and can be used for partitions up to 4,000mm in height.

The new construction is nominally 2mm wider than Knauf Drywall's earlier 54dB(Rw) Performer Healthcare Partition design which has two layers of 12.5mm Knauf Soundshield on each side of a 70mm Knauf 'C' Stud with 25mm Knauf Crown Acoustic Partition Roll in the cavity.

John Pullan, project specification manager, Knauf Drywall, said: "With the new 52dB partition design, we have a solution which comfortably meets most acoustic requirements and still achieves 30 minutes' fire resistance - while additionally saving on materials and installation costs".

John Pullan says the single-layer design also simplifies the installation of hospital services - such as medical gas piping - which require additional acoustic sealing and fire-stopping where they penetrate partition walls.

Blue-faced Knauf Soundshield is one of Knauf Drywall's range of high performance plasterboards, all of which have a significant content of recycled material to enhance their 'green' credentials.

Other high performance boards are specially formulated for added resistance to fire, impact or moisture.

The Knauf Performer range of systems provides a versatile partition solution for almost every performance requirement, with sector-optimised designs for residential, commercial, education and healthcare applications.

The system is lightweight, strong and easy to install, and can be specified with confidence.

Knauf Drywall also offers optimised solutions in its other partition systems: Easybuild (residential), Silent Spacesaver (high sound resistance with minimum thickness), Isolator (for extremely high sound performance) and Shaftwall (for lift or service shafts and stairwells, with the convenience of safe fixing from the 'room' side).

Knauf Drywall manufactures a full range of plasters, plasterboards, insulating laminates, dry flooring, drywall accessories, and metal sections for domestic, commercial and public sector applications.

Knauf Drywall pioneered carbon neutral plasterboard in the UK with Knauf Futurepanel.

Knauf Drywall also actively promotes recycling from building sites and has a zero waste policy in its energy efficient factories at Sittingbourne in Kent and Immingham on Humberside.

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