Sundolitt XPS extruded polystyrene installed at police rehabilitation centre

The Castlebrae Police Treatment Centre in Perthshire has specified Sundolitt XPS extruded polystyrene to help provide high levels of insulation strength and rigidity for its new pool installation.

The new swimming pool is part of a £2.5 million redevelopment scheme at the police rehabilitation centre – to improve and extend facilities to accommodate the needs of the 1,650 serving and retired police officers that use the centre each year.

The development includes a new hydrotherapy pool and exercise hall, which will both play an important role in the rehabilitation of injured and sick police officers from Northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. 

Extreme strength, extruded polstyrene

Sundolitt XPS has been supplied in a number of dimensions to accommodate the pool’s sloping design. It plays an important role in the pool’s sub-structure prior to the pouring of the concrete base and tile finish.

The extreme strength, extruded polystyrene allows a fast installation with minimal on-site preparation. As it is proven to guarantee high insulation performance – the primary range has a thermal conductivity of 0.033 – 0.037 W/mK (EN 13164) – energy costs at the centre can be kept to a minimum. 

This is particularly important as 85% of the centre’s running costs have to come from police donations and registered charity The Police Treatment Centres, which runs Castlebrae.

Deputy Chief Executive and Centre Manager Paul Grant commented: “Every 27 minutes a police officer is assaulted on the street. They come to us for help and support – most with the intention of wanting to get back on the front line. The refurbishment of Castlebrae’s treatment pool is vital to many patients’ rehabilitation.”

Range of applications

Manufactured in a wide range of thicknesses and sheet sizes, Sundolitt XPS has already proven ideal in industrial floors such as cold stores and chilled warehouses where high strength and insulation are a necessity. 

It has also been used for solid flooring and foundations, inverted roofing and for insulating railway lines, airports and roads wherever heavy loads and high moisture levels are encountered. 

The XPS is also available in square or shiplap edge, the latter having the advantage of preventing thermal bridging should the XPS boards part slightly during installation.

In this application, it is helping to water temperature at a high level as well as providing rigid support and protection against differential heave for the pool.

Carbon reduction

Sundolitt XPS can also help make a major contribution to the UK’s carbon reduction programmes.

Manufactured without the use of environmentally harmful gases, the XPS is fully recyclable if recovered at end-of-life. 

With the built-environment accounting for 40% of Europe’s energy consumption, the higher levels of energy efficiency that comes from using Sundolitt XPS can reduce total energy consumption buildings and structures by up to 75%.

Police Treatment Centres

The Castlebrae Centre houses 60 officers per week on average. The new development will help overcome the limitations on class size imposed by the older facilities and allow for the increasing demand for rest, recuperation and professional help.

“We’re pleased to be playing a small part in such an important project,” said Sundolitt’s Bryan Mawer. “One thing is for sure, XPS will keep performing for a very long time to come.”

Donations to the Police Treatment centres are crucial to their ongoing work and can be made by visiting the Police Treatment Centres dedicated website.

Find out more about Sundolitt XPS