With the relocation of Dalton elementary school Jacobus in Eersel in 2017, the school building on the corner of Postakkers and Schoolstraat became vacant. The municipality was keen to preserve the characteristic building. It agreed to the proposal of some residents, who wanted to give the former school building a new purpose in Collective Private Ownership (CPO) and together with architects Stephaan Maas and Ad van de Ven.
The initiative was named "the Omscholing" and includes the realization of 14 sustainable, energy-neutral and lifelong apartments, in which the characteristic building elements from the 1920s, 1940s and 1960s have been preserved as much as possible. On the site of the old schoolyard, a common area has been realized.
Buyers Association the Retraining has a mixed membership. Not only because of the age of its members, who range from their early 20s to nearly 80, but also because of the type of household to which they belong. The former school building is home to singles, couples as well as a family with children, who were very united on how they wanted their housing complex to take shape. Together they formulated three principles: (1) heritage preservation, (2) good neighborliness and (3) optimal sustainability. "Thanks to the application of solar collectors, heat recovery and additional thermal insulation, an energy-neutral residential complex has been created," says Ronald Penning, Business Development Manager at Kingspan Insulation. "The residents have no or very low energy costs because the energy they use is perfectly balanced with the energy they generate themselves. Thanks to excellent insulation of floors, facades and roofs, the houses also meet a high Rc value. By using a high-quality insulation system with mineral wool and the ultra-thin Kingspan Kooltherm insulation board, for example, an Rc value of 6.0 m².K/W is achieved for the facade."
Responsible for the renovation of the Jacobus School was Aannemersbedrijf P. van Hulst BV from Duizel. For the finishing, it contracted CaSO4 BV from Eersel, among others, which developed an ultra-slim pre-wall for repurposing and renovation projects. Kingspan Insulation, among others, was involved in the creation of the 'Excellent Insulation System'. For example, because the ultra-thin but highly efficient Kingspan Kooltherm insulation board guarantees a very slim wall.
"We actively partnered with director Joost Schellens to fine-tune the insulation system from a building physics point of view. We also mapped out the thermal resistance (Rc value) in various situations," Penning says. "These values have been summarized in a report, which CaSO4 BV can include in its construction files, providing clients and end users with optimal insight."
The Excellent Insulation System is ideally suited for (post) insulation of (un)insulated constructions from the inside. The system consists of battens, mineral wool, carbon thermal insulation, plasterboard and optional wall heating. In addition, home automation, electricity and piping can be integrated as required. With the ultra-slim pre-wall, very high Rc values of up to 7.37 m².K/W can be achieved (Excellent Direct 155 insulation system in combination with an uninsulated cavity wall).
In this project, approximately 1,000 m² of Excellent 155 insulation system was applied with a thickness of 155 mm, Penning said. "This ensures optimal thermal comfort while keeping the historic appearance of the building completely intact. The plasterboard exterior panel is finished with stucco, resulting in a very clean and high-quality insulated wall."
The Jacobus School is a great reference for Kingspan Insulation. "The project proves how we - in cooperation with our partners - answer the energy issues of today and tomorrow," said Penning. "With a focus on innovation, sustainability, safety and design, we do not shy away from any challenge. Parties with challenges in this area are cordially invited to contact us."
SHEET OF PROJECT
Initiator: buyers association the Omscholing
Architects: Stephaan Maas and Ad van de Ven
Contractor: Construction company P. van Hulst BV
Finisher: CaSO4 BV
Insulation: approx. 1,000 m² Excellent insulation system, including Kingspan Kooltherm insulation boards
For more information, visit www.deomscholing.nl