STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS 67
EJOT CROSSFIX®
construction of two apartment buildings within the ground-breaking Climate Innovation District urban regeneration project in Leeds demonstrates how the EJOT CROSSFIX®
he
system can be used to incorporate rainscreen
facades into highly
substructure sustainable
buildings, without the need to vastly increase insulation depth.
Developed by Citu in partnership with one of Scandinavia’s leading architectural practices, White Arkitekter, and civil and structural engineers Civic, the development is an entirely new sustainable neighbourhood featuring over 500 low energy homes with integrated amenities, built to a PHPP (Passive House Planning Package) assessed design. The development’s two apartment buildings, Aire Lofts and District Lofts, feature rear ventilated facades (RVFs) fi nished with two types of Swisspearl products externally. EJOT CROSSFIX®
was chosen for
the critically important RVF substructure because it enabled the construction of a highly insulated envelope without compromising aesthetics,
with the added benefi t of streamlining installation.
Multiple performance goals The façade of District Lofts was constructed by Hansen Facades using CROSSFIX, in conjunction with main contractor Artium Construction after its successful deployment on Aire Lofts. Here, the system’s versatility and effectiveness were fi rst recognised for attaching secret-fi x Ivory panels that demarcate duplex apartments at the ground and fi rst fl oor levels.
A sustainable façade enabler The CROSSFIX substructure specifi ed consisted of a 220mm Konsole K1 in A2 stainless steel, complete with the Powerkey for enhanced structural stability in the same metal grade, which supported L, Z and T profi les. The EJOT package was completed with fi ve types of stainless steel fasteners to provide secure assembly with consistent performance.
helps shape the future of
sustainable housing T
District Lofts is one of two apartment buildings at Citu’s Climate Innovation District development in central Leeds.
The facade’s EWS1 (External Wall System
1) fi re safety rating had to be balanced with thermal and ventilation goals. Given the high thermal requirements, designed to a weighted U Value (based on a typical subframe arrangement) of 0.13 W/m²k, the cavity depth had to accommodate insulation with a 250mm thickness and maintain the required ventilation for a system of this type.
CROSSFIX’s stainless steel composition helped to achieve the façade’s target thermal performance due to its very low thermal conductivity, which minimises the potential for thermal bridging. Coupled with a thermal stop on the CROSSFIX Konsole, this meant that the facade’s U-value is actually lower than it would have been if other substructures had been used with the same thickness of insulation.
Whole life cycle advantages were also provided by CROSSFIX because of its recyclable stainless steel composition, which requires less energy to manufacture compared with metals used in other RVF substructure systems – confi rmed by an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD).
CROSSFIX enabled the use of two different types of cladding to be used, including secret-fi x panels for the ground and fi rst fl oors.
The CROSSFIX Konsole’s stainless steel composition and thermal stop contributed to achieving the facade’s 0.13 W/m2
K U-value.
A smart solution for modern construction methods The multiple sustainability benefi ts provided by CROSSFIX, enhanced further through the system’s ‘non-fl ammable’ fi re resistance rating and a unique design fl exibility that enables it to be used in both horizontal and vertical assembly, means it is well-aligned with the higher effi ciency, safety and quality targets demanded in modern construction. In addition, CROSSFIX does not require special or handed brackets in areas of the façade where space is limited, such as locations between windows and other openings. Versatility of the substructure also means that one subframe can be used for both secret-fi x and face-fi xed cladding.
01977 687040
www.ejot.co.uk
ADF OCTOBER 2025
WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK
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