Etex U.K. Remagin Limited

Description of the Remagin Light Gauge Steel Frame Building System

Etex U.K. Remagin Limited is a design and manufacturing company offering high quality cold-formed structural steel to the construction industry. The open panel system is manufactured offsite and erected at site. They provide internal and external load bearing walls along with floor and roof cassettes.

The floor cassettes can be boarded on the upper face to provide a working crash deck (not the finished floor)

Etex U.K. Remagin system is certified to BS EN 10346:2004 and SCI/NHBC Stage 1 for up to 9 storey construction. CE-accredited Factory Process Control and BIM stage 2 compliant.

The system comprises a range of S390GD + Z275 galvanised, 1.0 to 2.0 gauge, lightweight steel sections produced to BS EN 10326. Z450 or Z600 galvanising can be used where required due to site specific environmental conditions. C sections, typically 65 or 100mm form the internal and party walls. 100mm C sections can be used for external walls subject to engineering requirements of specific schemes, 150mm C sections are generally used to form the external walls. 150, 200 and 250mm deep C sections can be used for high panels, floors and roof panels. Alternatively steel lattice joists may be used for floor and roof panels if required for span and loading conditions. This will be determined by project specific calculations. The system construction is based upon the ‘warm frame’ principle where insulation is placed outside the structural frame but generally this is installed on site by others. Wall panels are constructed with U section top and bottom rails with C section studs of size and spacing commensurate with the structural design.

Durability Assessment – 60 Years

Limits on scope

• Maximum 9 storeys for loadbearing frames subject to structural analysis (with the incorporation of hot-rolled steelwork to achieve structural design parameters)
• Bottom members in contact with foundations/sub-structure must be fully isolated from contact with moisture from the ground or external sources
• Where lightweight gauge steel framing is used for ground floor construction, the ground below the floor must be sealed to prevent moisture entering the void, such as a membrane with 50mm oversite concrete, in accordance with the recommendations of Steel Construction Institute publication P262.
• Where a lightweight gauge steel frame ground floor occurs over a void next to the ground, the void must be cross ventilated to a minimum standard of 1500mm2/linear metre, or 500mm2/m2 of floor area.
• Masonry wall cladding cavities should be minimum 50mm and ventilated.
• Conventional cladding, such as timber cladding, should have a minimum 25mm drained back-cavity, or as recommended by the manufacturer.
• Rendered external thermal insulation systems and/or insulated brick slip cladding systems applied to steel-framed structures must have a minimum 25mm drained back-cavity.
• Stainless steel fixings, such as channels for masonry retention systems, must be isolated from the galvanised steel to prevent bi-metallic corrosion where there is a risk of exposure to moisture.
• Etex U.K. Remagin Limited must be contracted for the design, manufacture and supply of the structures.
• A chartered structural engineer suitably experienced in the design of this type of structure must be sub-contracted for the structural analysis and design.

Description of the Remagin panelised light gauge steel frame building system

Manufactured in the United Kingdom by Remagin in its two UK-based manufacturing plants located in Leeds (loadbearing panels) and Newton Aycliffe (infill panels), the factory assembled wall, floor and roof panel cassettes comprising the steel framing are transported to site and assembled in sequence on a prepared sub-structure. Floor and external wall cassettes are pre-boarded in the factory. The foundations and sub-structure are site specific and constructed by others, and are not part of Remagin’s remit. External wall claddings, insulation, internal finishes, fixtures, fittings and services are usually not part of Remagin’s remit. However, Remagin may supply wall and floor cassettes pre-insulated between the framing, with a vapour control layer and plasterboard internal lining as per client requirements.

Limits of Scope

• Maximum 9 storeys for the Newton Aycliffe factory and 10 storeys high for the Leeds factory for loadbearing frames subject to structural analysis (with the incorporation of hot-rolled steelwork to achieve structural design parameters)
• Panels in contact with the foundations/sub-structure must be fully isolated from contact with moisture from the ground and external sources, and be a minimum 150mm above finished ground level;
• Where a light gauge steel frame ground floor occurs over a void next to the ground, the void must be cross-ventilated to a minimum standard of 1500mm2 /linear metre, or 500mm2/m2 of floor area;
• Where light gauge steel framing is used for ground floor construction, the ground below the floor must be sealed to prevent moisture entering the void, such as a membrane overlaid with 50mm oversite concrete, in accordance with the recommendations of Steel Construction Institute publication P262. Where voids are below external ground level, consideration should be given to void drainage. Standing water not permitted;
• Minimum 50mm ventilated and drained cavity behind conventional masonry cladding;
• Minimum 25mm drained cavity behind external wall claddings, or as required by the system designer [open jointed and rainscreen systems utilising pressure equalisation may require a wider cavity to be effective];
• Some latent defects insurers may require a minimum 15mm drained cavity behind insulated render and insulated brick slip systems, in all exposure areas. This is intended to minimise the risk of water penetration damaging the structural frame, particularly at openings in the walls;
• Thermal checks must be undertaken to ensure that there is no risk of interstitial condensation and/or cold bridging which may impact the durability of the panels;
• Remagin must be contracted for the design, manufacture and supply of the structure. Remagin usually carries out the site assembly of the loadbearing frames; site installation of non-loadbearing frames used for infilling separate loadbearing structures, for example, is usually carried out by others.
• A qualified structural engineer suitably experienced in the design of this type of structure must be engaged for the structural design and analysis.