Latest Part L Assault With Fastfloor Heatsave

Edited by the Buildingtalk editorial team Dec 22, 2003

Tarmac Topfloor has developed a highly effective system for domestic applications which meets the thermal insulation levels required by housebuilders to tackle the demanding requirements of Part L.

Tarmac Topfloor, one of the UK's leading manufacturers and suppliers of precast concrete flooring, has developed a highly effective system for domestic applications which meets the thermal insulation levels required by housebuilders to tackle the demanding requirements of Part L.

FastFloor Heatsave is a development of Topfloor's successful FastFloor beam and block flooring system, providing a suspended flooring solution using prestressed concrete T beams, infilled with purpose designed, high-duty, expanded polystyrene (EPS) panels, finished with a structural topping.

Quick to install and create a floor with excellent thermal insulation properties, Heatsave's advanced design provides a greater level of home comfort and ensures reduced heating costs.

Overall, the floor system can deliver 'U' values as low as 0.25 W/m2K.

Because of these very low 'U' values, FastFloor Heatsave can help housebuilders significantly as they operate within the more stringent thermal requirements for modern housing under the recently updated Part L of the Building Regulations.

In addition to being the ideal flooring solution in a highly energy efficient building, Heatsave can also facilitate a trade-off against a lower level of wall insulation or heating system.

The lightweight EPS infill panels are easy to handle and their design minimises cold bridging at the floor joists, giving an approximate insulation thickness of 85mm.

The Fastfloor beams and polystyrene infill panels are finished with a C35 concrete structural topping, with a thickness of 75mm over the panels and reinforced with an A98 mesh.

As with all flooring, staircase and lintel products produced and installed by Tarmac Topfloor, FastFloor Heatsave combines high quality components.

All prestressed concrete T beams are manufactured to BS8110:1997 and checked through Topfloor's rigorous Quality Assurance Scheme which covers laboratory testing of raw materials, right through to pre-despatch inspection.