Innovative facade solution boosts construction speed

Stagnating construction production regularly makes the news. A shortage of knowledge and professionals, the increasing number of households, but also permits are to blame. In short: it is time to work differently, putting quality first. StoPanel offers that possibility. The lightweight prefabricated facade elements are produced under climate-controlled conditions. They can be assembled on the building site in one day and provide residents with energetically optimized homes.

"Because of the steel frame, StoPanel is lightweight but also dimensionally stable. An important aspect when it comes to prefabrication," says David Tyndall, head of Off-Site Construction Solutions at Sto. Tyndall knows what he's talking about; in North America, the StoPanel system has been used successfully for more than 10 years. "The strength of prefabrication is working to the millimeter. That pays off throughout the construction process. For example, StoPanel facades can be installed and finished in one day and no scaffolding is needed on the construction site."

Suitable partner

When Sto decided to bring StoPanel to Europe, the search for the most suitable partner began for Tyndall. "The Netherlands is a country where innovation is highly valued and modern construction methods are widely accepted. Moreover, people here are well educated." For him, it was a logical choice that the Netherlands would get the scoop and IJsselmonde would be the first to produce StoPanel under license. "IJsselmonde specializes in exterior wall insulation, the management has quality awareness and is future-oriented. We fit with them, they with us." 

"The experience gained from hundreds of StoPanel projects in the U.S. and Canada on very diverse structures - such as apartment buildings, homes, hotels, schools as well as healthcare facilities - was our input. As were the materials. But the specific knowledge of the Dutch market and the processing of our materials was contributed by IJsselmonde. So the introduction really became a deepening of our relationship." 

Development and testing

Bringing a new building system to Europe has a lot to do. The market is different, as is the legislation. "Over the past eighteen months, Sto and IJsselmonde have worked closely together to develop and test the StoPanel system," Tyndall explains. "This involved looking at market needs and the Dutch Building Code. Then the StoPanel system was adapted to European legislation and, of course, it meets the technical requirements and quality standards of the Dutch market. We can accommodate even ambitious clients. The standard StoPanel facade is fire-resistant for up to 60 minutes, is wind and watertight up to 600 Pa and - despite its small thickness - has an RC value of 5.05 m² K/W. Producing facades with even higher insulation values is optional. In addition, IJsselmonde offers a palette of finishes to suit the Dutch streetscape. It is tailored to the Dutch demand for energy-efficient ground-level housing and medium-height buildings and also suitable for transformation projects and elevations." 

Security

Tyndall additionally points to customer certainty. "By manufacturing in a conditioned hall, the customer gets certainty about costs and planning; the risks of budget overruns and delays are much lower. Prefabrication also partly solves the shortage of skilled workers. Fewer hands are needed ánd people can be employed longer and more efficiently." The fact that IJsselmonde brings in experienced people for the prefabrication process provides additional guarantee. "Their practical experience will add value in every step of the process. These experienced craftsmen will perform the quality checks and are the key to achieving acceleration and quality improvement in construction."