Ventilated Façade

ROCKWOOL’s ventilated façade technology offers buildings thermal benefits, fire resistance and acoustic protection from the outside world.

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First explored and tested in the early 20th century in Europe, this ‘second skin’ for structures creates a chimney effect, which contributes to elimination of moisture and regulation of heat – that can otherwise affect the building in hot weather.

These solutions can be used to improve performance of both new and existing buildings, in conjunction with cladding products from ROCKPANEL, part of the ROCKWOOL Group.

Read on to learn more about these solutions – popular among architects and contractors for their high quality, aesthetic possibilities and numerous advantages.

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External walls

Why do we need ventilated facades?

A ventilated façade system as a whole protects against adverse weather conditions.

As the façade is generally the largest surface area of a building, it’s important to consider the relationship between the internal and external environment – and properly insulate the façade to improve heat regulation.

Among other benefits, systems also help to prevent:

Water damage
Risk of mould
Structural damage

With ‘open-joint’ solutions, rainwater that gets into the exterior barrier of the rainscreen drains through the air gap. This protects the inner layer of insulation from excess moisture.

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Installing these solutions can boost buildings’ indoor thermal comfort when you choose ROCKWOOL stone wool.

With cooling systems used less, property owners and tenants can also save on energy costs.

Designers have more freedom to build using our materials.

To help make your build more cost-effective, we’ve also created a series of local tools to assist you in sourcing your materials.

Use our ROCKWOOL U-value calculator to determine the thermal performance of the building’s walls and possible cost savings. For more details on technical specifications, visit our ROCKSPEC Specification Toolkit.

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Why choose ROCKWOOL solutions?

Choosing ROCKWOOL’s ventilated façade system means a whole host of benefits for your design and maintenance needs. Along with a variety of mono and dual-density insulation slabs, ROCKPANEL – part of the ROCKWOOL Group – offers robust cladding systems.

Using our products can help to achieve the highest level of certification with regards to LEED, BREEAM DGNB and Passive House standards.

Effective external wall insulation can also considerably enhance the thermal, acoustic and fire resistance performance of a building.

The main advantages of choosing ROCKWOOL products are:

Fire resilience – Our stone wool slab products are non-combustible, and in producing no harmful emissions they’re environmentally friendly too.

Thermal properties – The fibres inside ROCKWOOL slabs knit together, significantly reducing thermal transmission and ensuring continuous external insulation. ROCKWOOL stone wool adapts to irregularities in every surface, leaving no gaps, and no sagging, retaining cooling levels and performing highly in terms of energy efficiency.

Acoustic capabilities – Choosing ROCKWOOL stone wool can offer high performance in terms of sound insulation and sound absorption.

Robustness – ROCKWOOL slabs are extremely durable, providing long-lasting mechanical and thermal performance. Innovative Dual Density technology provides a resilient surface for fasteners on one side, while the softer underside easily absorbs unevenness in the substrate. Our products stand up to weather testing in the lab, showing unchanged performance over time.

Aesthetics – Cladding products can significantly enhance the appearance of a building. The extensive range of external cladding boards at ROCKPANEL, part of the ROCKWOOL Group, is designed for specifiers to have wider choice for any project.

Water properties – The open-cell structure of ROCKWOOL stone wool makes external walls vapour-permeable, which means water vapour can pass through, but the water-repellant fibres of stone wool prevent water ingress. It means moisture produced within the building disperses in the air cavity, without encountering obstacles or barriers, thus keeping both the walls and the insulating panels in ideal condition for insulating and preserving the structure.

Sustainability – ROCKWOOL stone wool is recyclable. In fact, it can be recycled again and again without degrading its quality.

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The natural ventilation in the air gap and our stone wool insulation contribute to shifting the heat wave in warmer climate country and maintain the ambient temperature inside the building. A continuous insulation layer on the building envelope helps enhance indoor thermal comfort.

Erica Bazzini

Global Product Manager, ROCKWOOL Group

Case Study

The challenge

A hospital maternity unit in the UK had to remain open while a structural renovation project to its facade was carried out.

The Women’s and Newborn Unit at Bradford Royal Infirmary had become draughty, noisy and let heat escape after receiving only minor structural upgrades since the 1960s.

Completing the work in a functioning hospital was a major challenge.

The solution

The solution was to install ROCKWOOL rainscreen insulation. Specifically designed for efficient installation, it was the ideal choice for a build that required minimal disruption. ROCKWOOL DUO SLAB is also Euroclass A1 fire rated as non-combustible for optimum fire resilience.

The results

The renovation helped create the right internal environment for the hospital – reducing heat loss and saving energy costs, while maintaining full operation of the unit. Excellent acoustic properties also reduced urban noise transfer into the hospital.

Bradford Maternity Unit, Hospital, Healthcare, RAINSCREEN DUO SLAB, Rockpanel Cladding

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For specific installation instructions, please see relevant product information on our local pages.

Inspiration and guides for professionals

Get 16 Renovation Cases

This case study bundle includes:

29 pages of our best 2018-19 projects
Acoustic renovation in both public buildings and private
Bringing new life into old buildings with facade panels
Improving fire safety and wellbeing in high-rises and historical buildings
Reducing noise and flooding with innovative stone wool solutions

Sustainability and energy efficiency

We are committed to the safe and sustainable use of materials in the construction industry.¹ Our insulation uses one of earth’s most abundant and sustainable resources – stone – to develop innovative solutions for everything we build.

To support sustainable choices, we provide Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) in more than 20 markets for many of our products. All our ventilated façade products in Europe are certified according to European harmonised standard EN13162.

Using ROCKWOOL stone wool to create long-lasting and durable insulation helps to ensure the responsible use of materials. It brings multiple benefits, including increased energy efficiency. This helps to reduce costs for the developer, and also the tenant when heating their home or business.

ROCKWOOL products are 97% recyclable, to ensure we maintain a strong sustainable approach all the way through our product chain. Innovative emissions control technology allows us to minimise the environmental impact of producing stone wool insulation. Carbon released during production is reined back within months after placement. Once installed, it prevents further increasing of our carbon footprint by saving on energy.

8 facts about the circularity of stone wool

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Financial support

Many countries implement tax incentive schemes to encourage homeowners to renovate their building and improve energy efficiency performances. Contact our local offices for more information.

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