Poster displaying the most important findings and information from the Individual Element Report for Centre for the Creative Arts and Media (CCAM) | GMIT

1. Galway Mayo Institute of Technology
Student: Jonathan Flanagan Student Number: G00262330
INDIVIDUAL ELEMENT ANALYSIS PROJECT
CLUAINMHUIRE
Background Methodology Materials
All of the elements contained within the project were to be investigated and compared with alternative
products. Using this procedure for building element analysis and material selection was determined to
output the most appropriate materials for the building that are chosen based upon their Performance,
Quality, Environmental and Economic characteristics.
The following were the objectives to be met to ensure a well informed decision of materials:
 Use the information contained in databases and other published studies on materials to acquire the
ratings, properties and effects of the materials under analysis. This will be the information to be put
through the matrix.
 Carry out the analysis of said materials and their assemblies through the use of established and recom-
mended software to gain an understanding of the assemblies energy and performance.
Regarding the rating of certain products not all characteristics of the matrix may be relevant to them, for
example the aesthetic features of a DPC or Radon Barrier cannot be assessed as they will not be visible to
the buildings occupants upon installation. The floors materials that score the highest within the excel ma-
trix will be the ones put through the software to analyse their performance.
The aim for the project was to analyse, research and investigate the existing elements within the building
and determine the best possible materials to upgrade them with based upon the findings throughout the
report. The examination of all these materials and their assemblies needed to be all inclusive as they relat-
ed to the members of the Cluain Mhuire project. The element that has been agreed upon and assigned to
myself in this stage of the project was the upgrade of the existing chapels solid floor.
Cluain Mhuire Campus was built in 1920 and is located in Wellpark, on the Monivea Road approximately
one mile from Galway city centre. Its original function was that of a Redemptorist Monastery which
opened its doors in c.1940 for students that were undergoing training for the priesthood. The G.M.I.T.
campus was later founded in 1998 and is currently in operation as the Centre for Creative Arts and Media.
The chapel sits east of the main four storey monastery building, it features high ceilings with trussed arch-
es, stained glass windows and hand cut limestone masonry, Pitched slate roofs with rendered chim-
neystacks, pebble dashed lime rendered walls that have rendered string courses, plat bands and buttress-
es, Tudor arch window openings having render block-and-start surrounds with stone sills and square-
headed door openings with timber battened doors and over lights. The floor is made up of the original
parquet flooring and Victorian encaustic tiling with a presumed solid floor structure on a raft foundation.
Given the protected status of the building great consideration was given to the choice of materials and de-
sign so that they would fall in line with conservation principles and best practice. Any works that were to
be carried out on the existing structure would also have be reversible with minimal damage or alteration
to the buildings existing fabric.
Materials were sourced from various manufacturers that cover all the elements that are required to con-
struct a solid floor structure. The materials properties were studied and gathered in relation to the char-
acteristics that were in the matrix. Information relating to the building product was scrutinised and tech-
nical data sheets along with declarations of performance certified by independent bodies were accumu-
lated.
The information gathered included:
 Density of the material, its thermal conductivity rating
 Skills required to install such a product
 What happens when the material reaches its end of life
 Toxicity of the material once manufactured
 Cost of the material
 Availability within the world
 Certifications or awards that may have been given to the product
The matrix displayed the materials and their ranking based on those characteristics in the tables of as-
signed weightings that were run through the matrix. When all materials were determined the total scores
were calculated for each of the materials and the highest score determined the best choice of material to
use.
An exterior elevation view of Cluain Mhuire’s chapel building
The existing parquet and encaustic tiled floor surface inside the chapels nave
Section of the building produced in Revit showing the locations that are relevant to the individ-
ual elements studied by the Cluain Mhuire group
Analysis of insulation materials and their properties used to inform the scores to be given in the ma-
trices
Analysis of screed materials and their properties used to inform the scores to be given in
the matrices
The extent of the existing Herringbone Parquet, Victorian Mosaic and Encaustic tiled floor surface
on a Ground Floor Plan

2. Galway Mayo Institute of Technology
Student: Jonathan Flanagan Student Number: G00262330
INDIVIDUAL ELEMENT ANALYSIS PROJECT
CLUAINMHUIRE
Matrices Analysis Conclusion
The options for the existing floor upgrades to be investigated were the existing floor, a Ballytherm polyiso-
cyanurate insulated floor, a Kingspan extruded polystyrene floor a LECA Insufill insulated floor and a Gutex
wood-fibre board Insulated floor with the various materials within the matrices added to these options.
THERM 6 was the software used to determine the heat transfer through the buildings floor and flanking
elements. It allows the user to determine heat loss by modelling two dimensional heat transfer effects in
building elements such as the foundation, floor and walls where a thermal bridge may be present through
the use of its graphical user interface. Evaluating heat transfer through THERM showed the materials en-
ergy efficiency and local temperature patterns which informed the user of problems with condensation
and moisture damage in its build up.
The LECA Insufill Option build up was drawn up in AutoCAD using enclosed polylines, exported as a .dxf
file and underlayed in THERM with each material and its lambda value was assigned to the corresponding
boundary on the underlay. Internal and external boundary conditions were then set at different points to
simulate real world environment conditions with regards to internal and external temperatures. The inter-
nal temperature conditions being set at 20° and external conditions at 0° celsius.
The U factor results that were generated from THERM were then inputted into the excel document for
calculating the Psi values of the floor and flanking element.
 The Psi value that came close to or achieved a better psi value than the ones recommended in Table D6
in the Technical Guidance Documents Part L for Dwellings 2008 and Table 03 of BRE IP1/06 “Assessing the
effects of thermal bridging at junctions and around openings” would then be chosen as the option to use.
The table above shows the weightings assigned to each heading and their associated features. All the
headings and their weightings reflected the criteria to be met with regards to building regulations, sustain-
able building and conservation principles.
Performance:
Durability was based on the fact that the chapels intended use was to be a theatre, which would require
durable materials to be used. Thermal accounted for the thermal conductivity of materials sourced. Per-
meable meant the building required materials that could breathe allowing for moisture evaporation.
Quality:
Conservation held that the buildings materials would fit in with its surroundings and conservation princi-
ples. Aesthetics would account for how the material looked based on personal opinion. Installation dealt
with the skill required to install the materials specified.
Environmental:
End of life referred to the removal of the material from the building and the impact it would have environ-
mentally. Embodied energy was concerned with the sum of all the energy required to produce the materi-
al. Toxicity was based on the levels of dangerous chemicals used in the materials composition.
Economic:
Cost factored in the price of a material. Maintenance referred to the cost of the maintenance of the prod-
uct after 10 years. Availability meant where could the material be sourced.
From the analysis of the 5 different options for the proposed solid floor construction in Cluain Mhuire’s
chapel it was decided that the best floor option to use would be option 4 LECA Insufill Floor.
This decision was made based on the following factors:
 LECA Insufill scored the highest out of its insulation matrix along with the Unilit 30 Screed and using
similar floor surfaces such as the Victorian Mosaic floor tiles and reclaimed parquet floor in the event
of the floors original surface being damaged upon removal.
 LECA Insufill also scored the best U-value rating out of all the options when compared to the 0.25
rating for new buildings which LECA Insufill surpassed achieving 0.231.
 A breathable floor design was specified based on conservation principles and permeability. As existing
protected structures are made from porous and permeable materials they allow the building to evapo-
rate moisture over the summer months. As it is impossible to fully seal a DPM around an existing struc-
tures floor without disturbing the existing walls which would go against conservation principles it was
decided not to include one in the build up as it would defeat the purpose of a breathable floor system.
It is also advised not to use a DPM in the upgrade of existing buildings from English Heritages publica-
tion “Energy Efficiency and Historic Buildings: Insulating solid ground floors” to achieve a breathable
floor.
 Radon gas would be mitigated by installing a radon gas sump.
LECA Insufill build detail produced in AutoCAD
LECA Insufill Build Detail in U-Wert.net U-
value calculator
LECA Insufill Materials in U-Wert.net U-
value calculator
A table representing all the characteristics taken into consideration, choosing materials ranked
accordingly based on what the Cluain Mhuire group deemed relevant to the upgrade
Materials compiled into groups based on their use and function in
the solid floor and scored through the matrices
Results of LECA Insufill THERM analysis in-
putted into excel for calculating Psi Value
LECA Insufill build detail analysed in THERM 6 displaying
the Infrared of the build up
Gutex Thermofloor Energy Flow ResultKingspan Aerofloor (EPS) Energy Flow Result
Ballytherm (PIR) Energy Flow ResultExisting Energy Flow Result