Project Background
On 2 June 2010, the Department of Education and Skills announced the signing of the contract for the provision of five schools, constructed by John Sisk and Sons, with places for over 4,700 pupils. This made up the second bundle of PPP schools to be delivered under the Department's Public Private Partnership (PPP) Programme. The schools that were constructed within this bundle were generally the result of the amalgamation of a number of local schools within the relevant geographical area.
The Challenge
Internal acoustic quality was a concern to the designers, due to the reflective nature of the materials commonly used in school construction, such as desks, hard chairs, and ‘fair-faced’ blockwork. While there was no regulatory requirement at the time of construction of the second schools' bundle, the designers and main contractors were keen to provide a hard wearing, durable and aesthetically pleasing ceiling finish that also offered the optimum levels of sound absorption, to create a low reverberation environment for the staff and pupils of the schools.
The Approach
To ensure speech clarity and a comfortable acoustic environment, Gyptone perforated plasterboard ceilings were installed in classrooms and common areas in each of the five schools. Between the five schools, over 24,000 sq.m. of Gyptone Quattro 41 and Gyptone Quattro 46 perforated plasterboards, which have an acoustic tissue to the rear of the plasterboard, were installed on a Gypframe CasoLine MF Ceiling framework with Isover 25mm acoustic insulation laid over the metal grid framework. This was to provide not only an aesthetically pleasing finish to the ceilings but also to provide high levels of sound absorption.
