Kingspan OPTIM-R provides slim solution for Scottish renovation

A derelict Grade B listed hotel in Kinross, Scotland, has been transformed into an impressive modern family home, with help from the ultra-slim Kingspan OPTIM-R Flooring System.

Delivered by M&S Character Homes, the renovation plans combine the former Royal Hotel’s main two storey building with the L-shaped additional building to create a single dwelling home. Built in the early nineteenth century, the property boasts striking period features such as oak beams and low ceilings. However, both the owners and architect’s dedication to retaining as many of these features as possible and the listed status of the building, meant there were some inherent design issues that needed to be considered in order to comply with the Scottish Building Standards.

Architect Scott Strachan commented: “the much-altered historical building fabric, current dilapidated state of repair & new owners’ enthusiasm for the property provided a unique opportunity at this stage in the life of the building to both conserve the existing historic building fabric and create a new 21st century chapter in the history of the building.”

Ceiling height in the ground floor hallway where a new staircase needed to be installed was particularly low. To meet the Building Standards for both the head height for the staircase and thermal performance, the Kingspan OPTIM-R Flooring System was specified in a 30 mm thickness. Homeowner and Director of M&S Character Homes, Murray Mitchell, explains:

“As the property is Grade B listed, there are certain limitations to how far it can be altered. The Kingspan OPTIM-R Flooring System was used as it met our thermal requirements at a third of the depth of a normal insulation board. Additionally, the head height in the other part of the hallway is very limited as there is an oak main beam. If Kingspan OPTIM-R hadn’t been used, the floor-to-ceiling height would have been 60 mm less.”

Kingspan OPTIM-R vacuum insulation panels (VIPs) feature a microporous core which is evacuated, encased and sealed in a thin, gas-tight envelope. This design allows them to achieve optimum levels of insulation performance with a declared value thermal conductivity of 0.007 W/m.K despite their minimal thickness.

As with every installation of a Kingspan OPTIM-R System, Kingspan’s specialist technical team provided detailed System layouts and instructions for the project to help streamline the installation whilst keeping the construction thickness to a minimum.

20 – 40 mm thick Kingspan OPTIM-R panels are the only vacuum insulation panels in the world to be certified under the independent BDA Agrément scheme. This confirms that the products will perform as expected when installed to Kingspan Insulation’s recommendations. The certification is also recognised by bodies such as the NHBC and LABC.