17 May Case Study – Overlay to Raised Access Floor – Knauf Hugo18

Timescales: November 2022 – May 2023

Project Size: 430 m2

Products: Knauf GifaFloor Hugo18 Dry Screed Panel

Client: Trainor Stone & Tile LTD

Location: 55 Whitehall, London

Since its construction in 1910, 55 Whitehall has undergone a series of modifications to serve as accommodation for the Crown and Government. However, due to inadequate accessibility, reception, and fire compartmentalisation, the building was ultimately vacated in 2002. More recently, the Department for International Trade occupied the building, which gained additional recognition for its appearance in the final scene of Spectre, where James Bond stands on the roof overlooking London, with Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament in the distance.

Moving forward to 2023, the building has been revitalized with the installation of a ceramic finish in various pedestrian areas. The building already had an existing screw-down Raised Access Floor in place. Trainor Stone & Tile LTD were appointed to complete the hard finishes and chose a simple and environmentally sustainable solution to overlay the existing raised floor.

To facilitate this project, Knauf Hugo18 Dry Screed boards were installed over an area of 430m2 of the Raised Floor, allowing for the installation of the ceramic finish. AFD played a crucial role in ensuring the project’s smooth progress by stocking the Hugo18 boards at our warehouse in Essex and delivering multiple call-offs throughout the project, including one on a bank holiday!

Hugo18 was the ideal product for this project. As an alternative to overlaying the raised floor with ply. Hugo is performance load tested up to 1mm deflection, it has a non-combustible fire rating and is EPD certified – making it easy to track the embodied carbon involved in the project. It is quicker and easier to install, only requiring one layer and no de-coupling layer. If the Hugo was ever removed from the building later in the future, it could completely recycled.

We commend Trainor Stone & Tile for their exceptional work on this remarkable building and the installation of outstanding finishes.

For more information regarding the Overlay to RAF Systems available – Click here