Knauf Insulation has launched its new Acoustic Batt at African Construction Expo. Acoustic Batt has been specifically developed to meet demand for a noise reducing insulation slab for the South African market.
Acoustic Batt is a high performance mineral wool insulation slab designed for use in internal partition walls and intermediate floors to reduce the transmission of noise between rooms. 100mm Acoustic Batt has a calculated Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) value of 1.04.
Suria Ramnarain, Sales Development Manager at Knauf Insulation said: “We noticed some of our customers preferred to use an insulation slab for internal partitions. To meet this demand, we have developed the Acoustic Batt, which offers exceptional acoustic performance and complements our popular acoustic insulation range.”
PET insulation
Unlike closed cell or PET insulation, mineral wool has excellent sound absorption properties. This is because mineral wool has an open structure, which traps sound between its individual strands and turns it into heat energy.
As a result, when acoustic mineral wool is used in walls or floors, sound cannot travel through the structure into an adjacent room or reverberate back into the source room as echoes.
Acoustic Batt
Acoustic Batt is classified as non-combustible Euroclass A1 Reaction to Fire classification. It is a semi-rigid slab with a width of 600mm to suit standard stud centres, making Acoustic Batt quick and easy to install.
The insulation is lightweight, which together with compression packaging, means packs are easy to carry. This also helps to prevent damage to packaging associated with dragging larger, heavier packs on site. Compression packaging also means less packaging is used and the units of insulation or indeed full pallets of material improve logistics and efficiencies at site through reduced storage space and handling.
Acoustic Batt is manufactured using ECOSE® Technology, Knauf Insulation’s patented sustainable bio-based binder that contains no added phenol or formaldehyde. As a result, products made using ECOSE® Technology are 70% less energy-intensive than mineral wool products made using traditional chemical-based binders, further reducing their ecological footprint.
They are also odorless, softer to touch and have the best possible Eurofins Gold Certificate for Indoor Air Comfort, contributing to a high level of indoor air quality. Acoustic Batt forms part of Knauf Insulation’s sound insulation range which comprises Ultracoustic-A Roll, Acoustic Roll and Acoustic Floor Slab.
This is the third new product that Knauf Insulation has developed specifically for the African market over the past 12 months. It follows the successful launches of both Ceiling Roll (Multi Pack) and Ceiling Roll (Combi-cut) last year.
Ceiling Roll
Ceiling Roll (Multi Pack) is a completely new product concept – a two-in-one Glass Mineral Wool insulation roll that can be easily installed in layers either 50mm or 100mm thick. It has been developed for South Africa as an alternative to polyester (PET) insulation; it is comparable on cost, offers superior thermal performance, and crucially is non-combustible (certified to SANS 10177 part 5 and 10 (A/A1) and Euroclass A1 reaction to fire classification), so it’s far better for fire safety than plastic based PET products.
The second, Ceiling Roll (Combi-cut), is an adaptation to an existing Knauf Insulation product to make its customers’ lives easier. It features a pre-cut perforation at both 800mm/400mm and 600mm making it suitable for use with both 760mm and 600mm joist centres. This perforation allows for faster, more precise installation without need to measure or cut it. They have already proved to be extremely successful with the South African architects and installers.
To ensure its customers specify the right insulation, Knauf Insulation has launched an Insulation Solutions Guide, which features its extensive range of non-combustible, high-performance insulation solutions ordered by application.
