Catnic sets a new benchmark in lintel engineering

Catnic is once again leading the market when it comes to advancements in steel lintel design. The company’s new Thermally Broken Lintel range represents the biggest step change in steel lintel engineering for a generation, responding to a direct need from the construction sector by delivering industry-leading linear thermal transmittance Psi values.

The Thermally Broken Lintel (TBL) range is the most energy efficient steel lintel solution on the market. Catnic’s design delivers the thermal performance of not one but two separate lintels, enabling a complete thermal break between the inner and outer leaf of a cavity wall.

The result is an energy transmittance Psi value of 0.02 to 0.05 W/mK, modelled by Catnic and independently tested in a range of different wall constructions. For specifiers and engineers this means the criteria of Appendix R, SAP 2012 can be achieved in a sophisticated and practical way by using any product from Catnic’s TBL range, complying easily, cost effectively and sustainably with the legislative demands of Part L of the Building Regulations.

The range has been designed to cover all building types from small domestic dwellings to large apartment buildings, including concrete floor loads. Lintels are available in standard, heavy duty and extra heavy duty specifications, according to the requirements of the project.

Of course structural integrity cannot be compromised in the quest to deliver such impressive energy performance for specifiers who are striving to meet the demands of an increasing complicated Part L. Catnic has worked with the University of South Wales to develop and test both the thermal and structural properties of the TBL range. As such it delivers the same safe working loads as the standard range of Catnic lintels, according to EN 845-2 and EN 846-9, meaning that there is no need for reassessment of loads over lintels, resulting in a simple conversion for specifiers and engineers.

The composite design of the TBL range means there is no requirement for propping onsite, so these lintels can be installed in the same way as standard Catnic cavity wall lintels too.

Richard Price, Technical Director at Catnic, said: “The Building Regulations have a direct impact in product development and innovation, thereby continuously driving improvements in the thermal performance of walls, roofs and floors in our buildings. By delivering such a low Psi value, the TBL range will always meet the performance criteria requirements of Appendix Q in SAP 2012, offering specifiers, engineers and builders easy compliance with Part L.

By replacing traditional lintels with our Thermally Broken Lintels, the most thermally efficient steel lintel solution on the market, heat lost through window head details can be reduced by up to 96%.”