News
Pioneering a New SFS Approach
12th November 21
EOS is taking the industry forward by pioneering a new certified systems approach. MD Steve Thompson discusses how in collaboration with Etex Group partners – EOS has taken prefabrication and preassembly to another level.
Delivering Predictable Performance in One Unitised Solution
Following the outstanding success of our Thruwall® system which is supplied as an offsite manufactured kit of parts, we have developed and rigorously tested our custom-manufactured Pre-Assembled Frames (PAF) which are an evolution of Thruwall® delivered to site as a unitised non-loadbearing infill system.
Delivering crucial cost and time benefits making programme savings of up to 30%, our PAF system offers 60-minute fire resistance and provides a 30-year product and performance Etex warranty. This revolutionary next generation system increases the speed of build without compromising on safety, quality, or performance – to deliver a faster return on investment.
Mitigating Risk
The performance of building materials is under an unprecedented spotlight. Architects, designers, specifiers and ultimately, clients – are feeling exposed. In her report ‘Building a Safer Future’, Dame Judith Hackitt recommends: “More effective testing regimes with clearer labelling and product traceability, in order to drive continuous improvement, higher performance and encourage innovative product and system design under better quality control.”
We believe material providers should have full-scale testing regimes that study the performance of products working together to see how they interact in ‘real’ circumstances, like under fire conditions or when exposed to wind and rain. Our research and perspective interviews with sector experts has equipped us with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by specifiers. Lack of performance testing is a major concern.
Pre-Assembled Frames
Developed to eliminate uncertainty surrounding the design and specification of the external envelopes, our Pre-Assembled Frames have been created to meet industry demands. Precut, prefabricated and pre-assembled offsite in controlled factory conditions, these non-loadbearing infill systems are delivered to site as an assembled panelised unit encapsulating EOS light steel framing and external Siniat Weather Defence boarding, ready for glass mineral wool insulation and Siniat internal wall linings to be fitted onsite.
Developed in collaboration with our Etex Group partners, Siniat, a leading expert in plasterboard and drylining, together with fire protection specialists Promat and FSi – our manufacturer backed system approach helps to design out the complexities surrounding individual components. With a comprehensive list of performance elements – energy efficiency, acoustics, fire performance, weather resistance and durability – backed by rigorous testing, our Pre-Assembled Frames get the system performance right through the combination of:
Light Steel Frame:
Our fully engineered light steel frame systems are custom designed according to the specific project requirements and preassembled under ISO 9001:2015 quality management systems and ISO14001:2015 environmental management standards. The steel framing system selected will depend on the height of the infill wall, the weight of the cladding and the wind load.
External Sheathing:
With two BBA Certificates, Siniat Weather Defence™ is a revolutionary external sheathing board faced with water repellent material for superior weather protection. Strong, highly moisture resistant and Euroclass A1 fully non-combustible, Weather Defence™ is suitable for buildings over 18 metres and can be left exposed on site for up to 12 months.
Internal Wall Linings – Site Applied:
Depending on the performance criteria of a project an appropriate Siniat internal wall lining can be selected to provide enhanced levels of sound insulation, fire, moisture, impact or vapour resistance.
Insulation – Site Applied:
Etex specify the use of glass mineral wool at a minimum thickness of 100mm, λ0.035 or better within the studs of the panel and rock mineral wool within the head deflection detail of the panel.
30-Year Warranty
Our range of technical support is there for specifiers throughout the lifecycle of the project. Our testing regimes are designed to ensure that our PreAssembled Frames give specifiers complete peace of mind knowing that our systems have been subjected to relevant testing for fire, acoustic, weathering, airtightness and mechanical performance.
All our components and products are rigorously tested together as a complete system to ensure compatibility, enabling us to award the technical performance of our Pre-Assembled Frames range with a 30-year Etex warranty which is available following a specification and validation process.
We are committed to technical competence and as part of Etex, we have some of the best building performance experts in the UK on our team. They work closely with certification bodies to jointly develop and design advanced technical solutions.
Watch the EOS PAF video: https://bit.ly/3ntj7Dk
Download the PAF brochure: https://bit.ly/2ZlPNXa
For more information visit: www.eosframing.co.uk