Panelised frames
Buildings can be delivered in a variety of forms and the panelised route is normally chosen where the weight and position of the building is not suited to the delivery of modules. The panels can be delivered as ‘Large Format Panels’ which can be anything up to 12m long although smaller lengths are normally more practical.
The panel core can be timber frame or structurally insulated panels (SIPs) and can come finished with windows, doors, cladding, and be wired and plumbed and include internal fire layers and cosmetics. The level of finish and size of panel will affect the weight and distance a panel can travel on the crane.
Timber Frame
As a minimum standard BWF produce future homes standard timber frame panels to ensure the highest levels of insulation and airtightness are achieved. Our timber frame panels are often required as a carbon capturing sustainable choice with recycled insulation where the wall thickness does not affect the building layout or costs significantly. These panels are typically thicker and heavier than SIP’s panels and manufactured at around 2.4m tall x 4.8m long and 300mm thick.
These panels can be installed either by hiab or a 20tonne+ crane, they are not suitable for manual handling, telehandler or roto cranes.T The panels can also be wired and plumbed to first fix, have the windows fitted, boarded internally and clad externally to bring a more completed product to site. The weight will increase as additional layers are added but this will not normally be an issue if a larger mobile crane is already required.
The panels can be insulated and constructed to meet a range of environmental standards up to ‘Passive House Standards’ using recycled newspaper. The brand that we use is ‘Warmcell’ and our fabrication team have been trained by PYC to install the Warmcell product into our panels with techniques to achieve the right density to maintain a full and compact fill.
Structural insulated panel systems (SIPs)
BWF only process UK manufactured SIPS.
SIPS are produced with Urethane insulation which is well known as an excellent insulator for producing thinner walls and commonly used in walls floors and roofs through Kingspan, Cellotex and Recticell.
Bwf have a full set of standard house types with Psi values.
The panels range from 100mm through to 200mm which with an additional layer of internal insulation are easily able to achieve Passive House Standards.
These panels can be delivered in packs for easy loading with cranes, telehandlers or by hand as they are only 1200mm wide and often not too heavy to be manoeuvred with dolly type trollies. This make them very popular for difficult sites. SIPS can also be pre-assembled to create larger panels for quicker site installation.
The panels can also be wired and plumbed to first fix, have the windows fitted, boarded internally and clad externally to bring a more completed product to site. The weight will increase as additional layers are added but this will not normally be an issue if a larger mobile crane is already required.
BWF are process partnering with Hemsec and SBS Sip Building Systems
