CAMEO CASE STUDY

147

Pre-assembled unitised cladding system

Main drivers/constraints





Minimising construction costs

Minimising time spent on site
Achieving predictability of quality
Reducing health and safety risks.

Project information
Through a partnership arrangement between the main contractor and the supplier, an offsite unitised panel
system was developed to meet the architects cladding requirements for Walsgrave Hospital, Coventry. This
delivered significant construction and financial benefits.
The panels were installed on three interlinking towers that comprise the 120 000 m2 hospital. The panels
are 6 m wide by 4 m high with casement windows integrated. The manufacturing process was carried out
offsite and the fully glazed panels were transported to site and lifted straight into position.

Benefits achieved





The ability to back-fix the unitised system obviated the need for external scaffolding, with a positive
impact on site safety and costs
The faster erection time provided an immediately weathertight external wall, allowing the internal fit-out
to start earlier, and also reduced the on-site programme by about 50 per cent
Greater quality control could be exerted
More flexible and less affected by the vagaries of the day-to-day construction programme.

Architect: Nightingale Associates

Main contractor: Skanska Construction
Supplier: SIAC Construction (UK)

Acknowledgments
Kawneer (2003). Unitised panel system for faster
build, Roofing cladding & insulation, Oct, p 36
<http://www.nightingaleassociates.com>
Discovering
www.buildoffsite.com

147