More than 11,000m2 of SmartPly OSB3 has been used in the construction of the University of East Anglia’s (UEA) landmark new development The Enterprise Centre – the UK’s first commercial building designed to achieve both Passivhaus and BREEAM Outstanding certification.

The Enterprise Centre utilises the most advanced approaches to low carbon design and construction. The specification of SmartPly OSB3 helped the project to achieve Passivhaus standards with an annual primary energy demand of <120kWh/m2.a.

Timber is integral to the building’s design with Corsican Pine from nearby Thetford Forest used in the frame and 9,400m2 of SmartPly OSB3 used in the floor and roof sheeting. To keep thermal bridging to a minimum and to achieve a U-Value of 0.11 W/m2k, the timber frame’s external walls were carefully designed to include a twin frame system with an uninterrupted duvet layer.

The build-up of the wall panels features 18mm taped SmartPly OSB3 on the inside for racking and airtightness followed by a 140mm cellulose insulated structural stud, a thermal break cavity filled with cellulose insulation and a second 63mm insulated stud. Prior to installation, an external breathable wood fibre board was added to allow moisture to leave the panel while protecting against condensation and ensuring the thermal insulation of the timber.

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