Metsec infills walls at Wellington school

Edited by the Buildingtalk editorial team Jul 3, 2006

Metse, manufacturer of light gauge galvanised steel framing systems, has supplied site fix metal sections as fast track infill walling for new private school in Wellington, Shropshire.

Build speed was the major factor in selecting Metsec's SFS system for the Old Hall School.

All SFS sections are designed, manufactured and delivered in the required lengths to be site assembled using self drilling screw fasteners.

Metsec approved installer ISEC installed the SFS infill walling between the main concrete frame of the two-storey, 3,700m2 school building within 12 weeks of the 52 week construction programme.

Achieving early dry envelope will help ensure that the fee-paying school opens on schedule for the new academic year starting in autumn 2006.Design flexibility was also important to accommodate a curved, half moon shaped elevation and to provide lateral support for a range of external skins including cedar boarding, brick and render.

Ribbon windows running the length of one elevation required supporting SFS sections.

Studs spanning up to 8m in height on various parts of the structure negated the need for windposts.

The SFS sections were double boarded on the internal face and covered in 45mm rigid insulation board externally to provide a framework with a high acoustic value and a U value of 0.45W/m2K.

Precision-engineered SFS stud sections give a fast, accurate and highly repeatable build and the method is widely recognised as one of the quickest and most cost effective ways of enclosing a building.

Both ISEC and main contractor Interserve have praised the speed and performance of SFS as infill walling on the Old Hall School project.

Interserve project manager, Jim Wildblood, said: "I'm very pleased with how fast and how well the SFS has gone up.

It's one less thing to be concerned about on a large and complex project." ISEC's estimator, Paul Stanley, agreed: "It's been fast and easy to install.

The build speed is certainly impressive and the flexibility of the system came into its own when there was a late adjustment in the way the ribbon windows were supported.

Metsec's design team quickly came up with an excellent solution".

Ideally suited for large, revenue generating projects such as hotels, apartments and leisure centres, SFS has been specified as infill walling in over 1,000 buildings and the phrase, a 'Metsec wall', has almost become a generic term.".