Aggregate Industries has seen its ground-breaking
Lytag once again prove to be the perfect product, this time providing the
solution to specification changes at the construction of the new Midlands
Metropolitan Hospital.
Labelled as Birmingham’s newest ‘super hospital’, the
£370m facility has been designed to meet the best international and national
standards, bringing patient requirements firmly to the forefront to support the
efficient delivery of high-quality clinical services.
Due to open in 2018, the hospital will provide 669
acute care beds and 13 operating theatre suites, at its new home on Grove Lane,
Smethwick.
Integral to the project is an overriding onus on
sustainability with the building ear-marked to be in the top 10% of
non-domestic building in terms of sustainable performance, achieving a BREEAM
rating of very good or higher on completion. This is seen through all aspects
of the supply chain and associated infrastructure; from the integration of
energy efficient technologies and systems through to the use of sustainable
material choices.
In preparing to commence works, the specification of
the 5th floor transfer slab within the building design
presented a challenge for the architect, HKS, whereby the allocated 400mm
Lytascreed build up was subsequently amended due to loading criteria provided
by the structural engineer with a max load of 2.5kN/m2. In turn, the design
team wanted to eliminate the use of void formers throughout this project but,
due to the scale of build-up, required a middle ground had to be met.
To overcome the challenge, Aggregate Industries specified a single sheet
insulation 300kpi board with a 120mm
Lytag base and 50mm a semi-dry cementitious screed topping; creating a super
lightweight heavy duty floor screed which cures considerably faster than any
alternative.
As a further benefit, Lytag, being a secondary
aggregate and 50% lighter than natural aggregate, will boost the overall green
credentials of the project.
Steve Curley, general manager at Lytag, comments: “This is another great example of how the
lightweight properties of Lytag have provided a solution on a large scale
project.”
In production for more
than 50 years, Lytag secondary aggregate is made using innovative technology
which transforms fly ash into small pellets which are then heated to 1,100°C.
The pellets formed are rounded in shape and range in size from 14 mm down to
fines and can be used as a superior, consistent, lightweight aggregate.
In total, Aggregate
Industries will supply 450 tonnes of Lytag for the Midlands Metropolitan
Hospital.
