Colourful facade

Colourful facade

Aluminium and Trespa faced panels from Panel Systems have been chosen to enhance the aesthetics of a new environmentally friendly Merseyside primary school, which is part of the Primary Capital Programme.

The panels were specified for the colourful, contemporary facade of Park Brow Community Primary School in Kirkby, designed by 2020 Liverpool for Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council. The 2,884m2 building will also act as a hub for family learning and other activities to benefit the local community. The school, which has 420 pupils, plus 52 nursery places, opened in September 2011.

Dark grey aluminium infill panels formed part of a curtain walling systems on the three main elevations of the building, as a contrast to Trespa cladding panels, which were specified in anthracite grey and contrasting warm, attractive hues of gold yellow and orange red with a matt finish. The aim was to create a visually engaging building appropriate to an educational setting, by providing a contrast of texture and colour. The infill panels achieve a U-value of 0.35W/m2K and the building has been designed to achieve a ‘Very Good’ BREEAM rating.

Danny Phelan, sales manager for Panel Systems, said: “Our composite panels were the perfect choice for this project as their assured thermal performance means they help to create low carbon buildings suitable for the 21st century. The decorative Trespa face in three colours adds visual interest to the building. The panels had to meet exacting aesthetic and environmental credentials, as well as being supplied cut to size, in order to meet a tight build schedule in time for the new school year.”

The panels were manufactured with either a powder coated aluminium or Trespa face which is vacuum-bonded to a core of Styrofoam. Composite panels are typically specified when aesthetic considerations are paramount. Panels can be supplied to specific sizes and edge details to suit individual glazing systems and achieve U-values as low as 0.10W/m2K.

Park Brow Primary School has been designed to minimise carbon emissions by using technologies including digitally controlled lighting and a biomass boiler. The building has also been orientated to maximise the use of natural daylight.