The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has called on the government and local authorities for urgent investment in housing to meet the growing demand for social housing. Homeless charity Crisis recently calculated that 90,000 homes need to be built a year in order to meet this demand. Paramount Timber
The publication of the new CIBSE/ADE CP1 (2020) Heat Networks Code of Practice is a welcome step in increasing the uptake and quality of design, installation and operation of low-carbon heat networks in the UK, says polymer pipework specialist REHAU. The long-awaited revision was developed by the Chartered Institution of
Three types of Kawneer’s curtain wall feature on the Atlas’ commercial element. Bespoke curtain walling by leading UK manufacturer Kawneer was preferred for an 11-storey office building at the heart of London’s architectural sector. Kawneer’s AA®265 unitised system was adapted by the company for the commercial element of the £200
Ibstock plc has become the first building products manufacturer in the UK to procure 100% of its electricity from renewable sources. This milestone announcement enables Ibstock to make significant steps in reaching its Sustainability Roadmap target of a 15% reduction in CO2 per tonne of production by 2025, and accelerates
The Grenfell Tower tragedy horrified Britain. Subsequent enquiries have highlighted issues with materials used, construction standards and supervisory roles, to name but a few, and enquiries are on-going. In the meantime, people are living in multi-story buildings with no clear resolution to the issue of cladding on buildings. Future plans
Specialist building solutions firm increases spend by 80% in the past 12 months A Northern Ireland based producer of high-value specialist building products is increasing its investment in Research and Development as part of a business development strategy throughout the UK and Ireland. Fivemiletown headquartered, AG (formerly Acheson + Glover)
Leading Italian render specialist, Fassa Bortolo, has recently finalised a prestigious project for The Duchy of Cornwall, in collaboration with Midas Construction. The project launched in November 2017 after Fassa was recommended by one of its largest applicators to transform the external envelope of the new Nansledan school. A final
Building materials supplier CEMEX has provided Vertua low carbon concrete for a new office development in the Climate Innovation District in Leeds. The Vertua Classic concrete, which offers a 30 – 50 per cent CO2 reduction versus a standard mix, has been used for the foundations of the three-storey building,
Bradfords Building Supplies, the number one independent builders’ merchant in the South West, has kicked off the new year with the opening of a new branch in Glastonbury, which includes one of the first Sustainable Home Centre showrooms in the UK. The launch of the new branch is representative of
Soprema UK, the specialist in waterproofing and building envelope solutions, is to begin manufacturing its Pavadry woodfibre insulation in the UK, with an improved product specification. A high performance, internal wall insulation that controls dispersion of water from the walls into the building to prevent condensation and the risk of
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has called on the government and local authorities for urgent investment in housing to meet the growing demand for social housing. Homeless charity Crisis recently calculated that 90,000 homes need to be built a year in order to meet this demand. Paramount Timber Frame have gathered recent studies in the industry to calculate that if these houses were built using timber frame construction rather than traditional masonry methods, it could save the government over £261 million. Timber frame construction responds to the wider housing challenges. In fact, building with timber would see the government’s existing target of building 300,000 homes per annum reached far more effectively and sustainably, generating cost savings across the board and arguably moving towards bursting the current housing bubble. Timber framed homes in the UK is the most traditional building method boasted by the UK’s oldest properties, surviving since the 15th Century. However, brick became the Victorian answer to mass housing production in the 19th Century. With sustainability becoming a core value for many businesses and individuals, the other benefits to building with timber are beginning to come into focus. Building with timber is cost effective, with timber frame coming in at around a 2.8% cost saving. It is also shortening construction time as Rider Levett Bucknall found in a study between the 2 methods. The build time for an average timber frame home was only 41 weeks compared to 49 weeks for masonry. The 2 months of saved time equates to further cost savings on labour most notably, as well as improve cash flow by completing projects sooner. The cost savings and efficiency aren’t the only benefit associate with timber frame, it is also highly sustainable. Timber is part of the circular economy, which is the most effective carbon store. When used instead of the more traditional building materials, a single cubic metre of timber will save around 0.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. When extended to the 90,000 homes a year – that can make a huge difference to the environment. Timber is also a renewable material, with up to 90% of the timber used in the UK coming from certified sustainable sources such as the FSC and the PEFC. The majority of the remaining 10% comes from well managed sources in countries which do not practice certification. For every one tree that is harvested, five are planted in its place which means that it is not only a sustainable method, but one that is integral to the governments Net Zero by 2050 initiative. Richard Swayne, Director of Paramount Timber Frame says: “The time has come for the industry to switch to timber frame more aggressively. The benefits for using timber instead of traditional masonry methods are tenfold. At Paramount Timber Frame, we know there is intense need for delivering high quality, good value housing and fast. Switching to timber frame is how we start to build for tomorrow. To not only alleviate the housing crises, but to evolve the industry to becoming more sustainable, for both the environment and society. Andrew Carpenter, Chief Executive of the Structural Timber Association says: “It’s no secret that Britain’s housing construction has faced numerous challenges over the decades, from planning restrictions, cost of materials and safety issues. Timber construction provides a glaringly obvious solution to many of these challenges whilst also meeting housing needs efficiently and net zero carbon by 2050 target. With timber construction we believe we can build back Britain, Better, Greener and Faster. Our Time for Timber campaign embodies this, bringing together the science, data and industry thought-leaders, echoing that the time to change our outdated construction methods is now.”
The publication of the new CIBSE/ADE CP1 (2020) Heat Networks Code of Practice is a welcome step in increasing the uptake and quality of design, installation and operation of low-carbon heat networks in the UK, says polymer pipework specialist REHAU. The long-awaited revision was developed by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) and Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE), and takes into account the trend toward low-carbon heat networks since the previous guidance was published over five years ago. Specifically, CP1 (2020) recommends a maximum flow temperature of 70°C on new schemes, encouraging specifiers and contractors to consider fourth generation heat networks. These networks, which typically favour low-carbon heat sources like heat pumps and waste heat, are suited to polymer pipework. The guidance goes on to describe how these pipework solutions can also play a major role in the implementation of district heating schemes across the UK. With renewable heat networks increasing in popularity as a means of decarbonising buildings in line with Government net zero emissions targets, CP1 (2020)’s messaging comes at a crucial time, says Steve Richmond, Head of Marketing and Technical at REHAU Building Solutions, a leading district heating pipework supplier. He says: “We have long asserted that the implementation of district heating schemes will be vital to the decarbonisation of the country’s building stock, and are therefore pleased the latest CP1 guidance shares this view. In particular, the guide’s highlighting of the benefits associated with polymer district heating pipework, like lower installation costs and the lack of expansion loops required, clearly demonstrate the key role they will play in reducing emissions. “We also welcome the guide’s practical recommendations around fitting polymer pipework. This includes highlighting their compatibility with specialist installation methods like horizontal direction drilling, and how compression sleeve joints reduce the potential for failures during installation.” CP1 (2020) also provides a series of checklists and a toolkit for verifying compliance to ensure quality assurance and regulations within the heat network market, and more detailed guidance on diversity calculations. Taken alongside funding initiatives like the Heat Networks Investment Project and its 2022 replacement, the Green Heat Networks Scheme, Steve is confident CP1 (2020) will ensure new district heating schemes are as efficient and futureproofed as possible. He concludes: “Government support is helping increase uptake of district heating schemes, and through following guidance like CP1 (2020), heat network providers will be able to more effectively maximise carbon savings while increasing efficiency through reduced heat losses. We view these efficient, low-carbon heat network solutions as instrumental to constructing carbon-neutral new-build properties ahead of the Future Homes Standard introduction. “As ADE members, we work closely with CIBSE and are fully committed to our role in the delivery of efficient low carbon heat networks. Along with Government policies and funding, CP1 (2020) marks a fantastic turning point in favour of renewable heat networks as one answer to the low-carbon transition, and we are hugely excited to be part of this revolution.” For further information on REHAU’s pre-insulated pipework systems, and their use in renewable heat pump and district heating networks, visit: www.rehau.uk/districtheating.
Three types of Kawneer’s curtain wall feature on the Atlas’ commercial element. Bespoke curtain walling by leading UK manufacturer Kawneer was preferred for an 11-storey office building at the heart of London’s architectural sector. Kawneer’s AA®265 unitised system was adapted by the company for the commercial element of the £200 million Atlas building – at 40 storeys the tallest tower in London’s Tech City area – at 145 City Road, Clerkenwell. Concept-designed by Make architects and delivered by the Design Delivery Unit of Scott Brownrigg, the commercial building actually featured a total of three types of Kawneer’s curtain walling – the traditional stick system AA®110 (zone drained) on the ground floor, the adapted AA®265 on the floors above, and standard unitised AA®201 on the tenth floor return elevation to the existing building. The adapted AA®265 modular system incorporated GRC and aluminium rainscreen cladding and glazed vision areas in each panel. Some 3m wide, 3.85m high and one tonne in weight, each unit was delivered to site and hoisted into position by a tower crane, complete with the cladding and glazing in place. Kawneer’s Technical Proposals Engineer Dave Fletcher said: “The basic AA®265 design was revised to accommodate the building movement that had been identified by the structural engineers as it could accommodate the size of units and the GRC rainscreen units being pre-fixed to the panels. “The system developments, including new profile and accessory design such as 19 project-specific dies, were all carried out by our Technical Department at our Head Office.” Installed by specialist sub-contractor Mace Facades for main contractor Mace, the Kawneer systems also included thermally superior AA®720 entrance doors on all floors. The Atlas’ commercial element is occupied by WeWork and features a strong emphasis on nature, with three roof terraces and external green walls. WeWorks’ coworking space allows members to enjoy 11 floors of collaborative work spaces, stunning private offices, welcoming event spaces, and modern conference rooms for hosting key client meetings. In addition to being dog-friendly, this super-accommodating office space features bike storage and on-site showers. Along with the Atlas tower, the WeWork building sits above the London Underground and Thameslink lines. This discovery at planning stage changed the concept for the structural strategy, resulting in the creation of a new superstructure design to prevent the buildings from twisting and leaning. Loads imposed by the buildings are kept clear of the tube tunnels by cantilevering the structures over the subterranean Victorian engineering. The mass provided by the frame, and by increasing the thickness of the ground-floor and mezzanine first-floor slabs, helped give the structure sufficient inertia to dampen the ground-borne vibration from the underground trains. The original planning concept was for a series of white and off-white shades of terracotta cladding. However, with the stability issues raised at post-planning, the weight of the terracotta posed a challenge with the cantilevered building. Design Delivery Unit at Scott Brownrigg demonstrated options that could be achieved using anodised aluminium, and following modelling and testing of the material, proved that given the scale, repetition and shape of the facade, a unitised system would work and still achieve the original vision.
Ibstock plc has become the first building products manufacturer in the UK to procure 100% of its electricity from renewable sources. This milestone announcement enables Ibstock to make significant steps in reaching its Sustainability Roadmap target of a 15% reduction in CO2 per tonne of production by 2025, and accelerates its Net-Zero Carbon journey. Total Gas & Power, Ibstock’s energy supplier, says its Pure Green energy tariff enables Ibstock to report zero emissions for electricity under the GHG Protocol Corporate Standards, Scope 2 as the electricity can be matched to Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin (REGO) certificates. Pure Green guarantees that the REGOs will only come from solar, wind or hydro sources. The generation mix of Total’s Pure Green power is typically hydro/wave power (0.31%); solar (24.69%); and wind (75%). Decarbonisation measures This switch to renewable electricity is the latest in a series of decarbonisation projects Ibstock has invested in, including the completion of a solar park – the first of its kind in the brick industry – at the Group’s Leicestershire head office. Supplying 20-30% of the power requirement on site. The company is also continuing to play its part in the reduction of reliance on fossil fuels through the installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across several sites. Joe Hudson, Chief Executive Officer of Ibstock, said: “This is a very significant moment for our business. We take our goals and ambitions on sustainability extremely seriously and procuring all of our electrical power from renewable sources is further evidence of that. “We are a market leader in an energy intensive sector, and we believe it is vital that we demonstrate that leadership in terms of reducing carbon emissions and supporting the market for renewable energy. Many of our customers right across the construction sector have made commitments to achieving net zero emissions and our move to Pure Green shows them that we are with them on that journey. “We have many more projects and initiatives planned and under way to further reduce our carbon impacts – but, there is no doubt that this move to Pure Green really is a very big step forward in achieving our decarbonisation goals. “As the first UK building products manufacturer to make a move to 100% renewable electricity, we believe we have set an example to others in our sector; we hope our peers are quick to follow suit.” Dave Cranfield, General Manager of Total Gas & Power, said: “We are proud to have been working with Ibstock since 2013 and during that time we have seen them become an industry leader in the drive towards carbon neutrality. It’s particularly pleasing to be helping them reach their Sustainability Roadmap target of a 15% reduction in CO2 by 2025 by supplying them with Pure Green, 100% renewable electricity. As one of the largest electricity suppliers in the UK, Total shares the ambition, together with society, to become net zero by 2050 for all of our activities. We will continue to work closely with our customers, including Ibstock, as the demand for renewable electricity grows, and we will continue to evolve and invest significantly in carbon neutral initiatives over the coming years.” Ibstock’s operations commenced use of Pure Green electricity on January 1st 2021.
The Grenfell Tower tragedy horrified Britain. Subsequent enquiries have highlighted issues with materials used, construction standards and supervisory roles, to name but a few, and enquiries are on-going. In the meantime, people are living in multi-story buildings with no clear resolution to the issue of cladding on buildings. Future plans are on hold for some who are effectively locked into the ownership of their flat until a resolution is found and suitable funds are available to undertake suggested remedies. Replacement seems to be the preferred action plan but other potential measures such as communal fire alarm systems and sprinkler systems are being ignored. An intolerable situation is developing which has the potential to create a whole new set of victims – this time financial ones. The cost of building insurance for affected buildings is spiralling and may reach the point of being unaffordable, but building insurance is one of the foundation requirements for a mortgage. I think you can see where this is going! The Housing Ministry provides advice covering the fire safety of external wall systems in which the seller is obliged to confirm whether or not the building has potentially flammable cladding and whether there is an active management plan in place. This creates a dilemma for Chartered Surveyors who are neither skilled nor equipped to rule on these matters simply by carrying out a visual inspection. If clarity on the subject is unavailable, they have no choice in England and Wales but to apply a nil value to the property. In Scotland, the now tried and tested regime of Home Reports means that surveyors can propose a value with the caveat in the report that the matter of cladding is Category 3, meaning that it must be addressed immediately. The effect in both cases however is the same – surveyors cannot value comprehensively until the paperwork covering the technical specification for the cladding is provided. If it cannot be provided, the property is blighted, with the knock-on effect of people not being able to sell. What does the Government suggest property owners should do in these circumstances? Well, in its advice-note it provides a list of Chartered Professionals from whom property owners can seek a statement that the cladding meets all current legislative requirements and is fire safe. It is a long list, ranging from architects, inspectors and building engineers, through to clerks of works, fire engineers, building control, town planners and façade engineers. There is only one problem. There are very few people actually providing an EWS 1 report, or probably more accurately adequately insured to provide an EWS 1 report. We have spoken to many – though by no means all – of the bodies on the list and the unanimous response has been, to paraphrase: “We’re not doing the testing.” Sellers are being pushed into a Catch-22 situation where they need a qualified professional to confirm compliance before they can sell but, post-Grenfell, the listed professionals have little incentive to approve cladding – or insulation and fixings – without knowing what the future may hold. Zero valuations and consequent blight are causing increasing concern among brokers, particularly in London. To complicate matters the on-going availability and affordability of insurance to provide EWS 1 reports is open to question. The RICS presently has a consultation paper out on the valuation of multi-storey, multi-occupancy buildings with cladding and inevitably this includes the use of EWS 1 reports. Consistency from surveyors is one of the aims of the consultancy and any subsequent guidance that will be provided to RICS members involved in property valuation. Lenders are not consistent in their approach to buildings with cladding and this complicates any search for funding to purchase. Risk, and more accurately the adoption of risk, is high on all of the stake holders’ decision making when it comes to buildings with cladding. When the music stops no-one wants to be holding the monetary risk that cladding presently presents. Until solutions are found to minimise the risk that cladding is perceived to cause, safety, saleability, mortgageability, insurability and market value, owners will continue to be the new victims of the Grenfell Towers. Chartered Surveyors, at the coal face in this complex situation, find themselves in the uncomfortable position of reporting cladding issues using different criteria. The different approach to cladding by stake holders serves no-one well and the lack of government led solutions and funding means that the present situation continues. Dare I ask if public liability sits in the background and influences government intervention? PI insurers have been running for the hills since Grenfell, adding onerous exclusion clauses to developers and constructors. Exclusion clauses are also now entering the PI cover for surveyors undertaking property valuation. The valuation of properties with cladding may well grind to a halt unless decisive action is taken. As surveyors we await the RICS guidance from the consultation paper that closes on the 25th of Jan. 2021. Eric Curran is a partner of DM Hall Chartered Surveyors, based in the firm’s Glasgow office. For further information, contact DM Hall Chartered Surveyors, 220 St Vincent Street, Glasgow G2 5SG. eric.curran@dmhall.co.uk. For further information about DM Hall’s Scotland-wide network, please contact Caroline Wayte, Marketing Manager, DM Hall, 220 St Vincent Street, Glasgow G2 5SG. M: 07786 362517. E: caroline.wayte@dmhall.co.uk W: www.dmhall.co.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/dmhallllp LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dm-hall?trk=biz-companies-cym Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DM-Hall-Chartered-Surveyors-LLP-168316039915372/
Specialist building solutions firm increases spend by 80% in the past 12 months A Northern Ireland based producer of high-value specialist building products is increasing its investment in Research and Development as part of a business development strategy throughout the UK and Ireland. Fivemiletown headquartered, AG (formerly Acheson + Glover) confirmed today that its spend on Research and Development had grown by 80% in the past 12 months. AG Chief Executive, Stephen Acheson, said he believed innovation and new product development were key sources of competitive advantage for the 60-year old firm. “From our earliest days AG has been synonymous with innovation and the pioneering of new technology within the concrete industry. Now, more than ever, we see this as being of crucial strategic importance as we seek to strengthen partnerships across our customer base in the creation of walling, paving and facing brick solutions that truly add value for clients across the UK and Ireland. “Innovation is one of our core company values and within the past 12 months we’ve had great success from several new product launches including our Long Stone paving and Woodward facing brick solutions, both of which have already established themselves as amongst our best sellers. We have also received UK-wide recognition for our Anchor® Vertica® Machine Install Segmental Retaining Wall system which has won a number of prestigious awards for both innovation and health and safety.” As part of AG’s drive towards best-in-class innovation it has established a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with Queens University Belfast. This has included the provision of a new Associate Engineer, Catherine Campbell, who is supported by a team of academics. As part of the increased focus on Research and Development AG has recently invested more than £0.5m in a new processing line at its Toome facility to produce surface protected flagstones. Stephen Acheson said that the factory-sealing process will improve its flagstones in number of ways. “The factory-sealing means our products will be of a higher quality and they will be easier to maintain once installed. This innovation, coupled with the plans we have for this year and beyond, will further reinforce our products as being amongst the best in Europe from both an aesthetic and performance perspective. “We expect 2021 to be a big year for us in terms of product development, with a number of significant enhancements and additions being made to our portfolio of walling, paving and brick solutions that have been created to make construction better, faster and safer.”
Leading Italian render specialist, Fassa Bortolo, has recently finalised a prestigious project for The Duchy of Cornwall, in collaboration with Midas Construction. The project launched in November 2017 after Fassa was recommended by one of its largest applicators to transform the external envelope of the new Nansledan school. A final build design was agreed which saw the structure made from steel frame with block, and a sand and cement render finish that would be painted on completion. As a result, the team specified Fassa’s MS20, a cement-based masonry render, with a roughcast finish and a finishing propriety paint for added durability. The Fassa team worked closely with contractor A P Williams, who offered their technical expertise on window surrounds, demonstrating how the roughcast render would look by spraying MS20 onto a prefabricated mock wall for the Duchy of Cornwall to approve. A roughcast finish provides superior water-resistant properties, something which is considered a priority in Cornwall due to extreme costal weather. Paul Williams of A P Williams raised concerns about applying the render from a scaffold as it could cause “scarring”, which would cause imperfections in the finish. To achieve a look as consistent and even as possible, Genie lifts were brought in to apply the render, enabling the applicators to spray the surface and maintain a perfect finish. This willingness to meet the applicators needs is one of the many examples of the main contractor and the applicator working together to attain the best outcome for the client. The school was handed over on time in two phases, the first in June 2019 and the final in September 2019. Linden Williams, Fassa’s ASM for the south west comments: “It was amazing just how much time and effort was involved in every stage of the process. Relationships have grown over this project, with all parties including the main contractor, the architect, and our render contractor forging new connections. We’re delighted to have been selected to offer our services to such a prestigious project and are very satisfied with the outcome.” Visit www.fassabortolo.co.uk or call 01684 218 305.
Building materials supplier CEMEX has provided Vertua low carbon concrete for a new office development in the Climate Innovation District in Leeds. The Vertua Classic concrete, which offers a 30 – 50 per cent CO2 reduction versus a standard mix, has been used for the foundations of the three-storey building, which will be known as The Place and house sustainable property developer Citu’s UK head office plus a new 15,000 square foot office rental opportunity. This building forms an important part of the latest construction phase at the District, which is located at the heart of Leeds’ South Bank Regeneration scheme. This innovative project will accelerate the transition for Leeds to become a zero-carbon city and act as a transformative driver for sustainable development in the Yorkshire region. “We are very proud to have supplied our Vertua Classic concrete to the latest phase of work at Citu’s Climate Innovation District in Leeds, particularly as this will be their head office. This is a development that priorities sustainable construction, making our low carbon concrete the obvious choice for the office building foundations,” said tracey Craden, Readymix Technical Manager at CEMEX UK. The Climate Innovation District been designed around recognised key principles for creating truly sustainable places to live, focusing on promoting positive behaviours linked to transport, energy, housing and ecosystems. CEMEX provided over 70m3 of Vertua Classic concrete from its Leeds Readymix plant, the first time this site has provided this product since its launch. Vertua Classic is easy to use and place, perfect for a range of applications such as structural elements, foundations including piling, light to heavy industry floors and suspended slabs. Vertua is part of CEMEX’s ambition to deliver net-zero CO2 concrete globally to all of our customers by 2050. “The Place is holistically designed to create a zero-carbon workplace, as one part of a wider sustainable district. To achieve this, we’ve worked to reduce embodied carbon emissions at every stage – from building using structural timber to using Vertua Classic low carbon concrete. The low carbon concrete mix allows us to achieve a large reduction in CO2 emissions from one of the materials that previously has been among the most difficult to decarbonise,” commented Jonathan Wilson, Development Director at Citu. “We believe progressive businesses value design-led, low carbon workplaces set within a walkable environment to improve wellbeing. Vertua Classic helps us deliver this sustainable workplace which will soon be home to both Citu and a forward-thinking business wishing to take advantage of this one-off opportunity.” CEMEX R&D, Innovation and Business Development projects are part of the global R&D collaboration network, headed by CEMEX Research Centers, based in Switzerland.
Bradfords Building Supplies, the number one independent builders’ merchant in the South West, has kicked off the new year with the opening of a new branch in Glastonbury, which includes one of the first Sustainable Home Centre showrooms in the UK. The launch of the new branch is representative of the builders’ merchants’ commitment to sustainability for 2021 and beyond. Bradfords’ in-branch Sustainable Home Centre has been created in collaboration with Renewable Equipment Solutions (RES), a local Somerset provider of sustainable energy efficient heating and ventilation solutions. From live heat pumps and underfloor heating, to solar panels and vehicle charging points, the centre will showcase sustainable solutions for domestic dwellings available on the market. David Young, CEO of Bradfords Building Supplies, said, “The Glastonbury branch is centrally located across our sites on the M5 corridor. Not only is it an ideal building to effectively accommodate everything you’d expect from a builder’s merchants, it also provides us the opportunity to launch this new offering. “This new Sustainable Home Centre is Bradfords putting a stake in the ground for the industry. We want to reach out to local builders, installers and architects in the community to encourage them to come and talk to us about sustainable construction solutions and the benefits they offer in creating a more sustainable future for everyone.” The centre will also provide product training for installers across the region and host CPD courses for architects to keep up to date with the latest and greatest in ultra-efficient technologies. Shane Oxberry, Manager Director of RES Distribution Limited, added, “Bradfords are very much our preferred partners; they are unique in the South West and very well established. In what will be our first showroom, customers will be able to get a real feel for what’s possible in their homes with sustainable solutions that are designed to a high standard. “Surprisingly, an inefficient gas boiler is a family household’s single biggest contributor of CO2 emissions – far more than running a petrol car, food consumption or going on holiday. We anticipate a growing surge of interest, as renewable strategy from Government continues to gather pace, with incentives such as the Green Homes Grant and Renewable Heat Incentive.”
Soprema UK, the specialist in waterproofing and building envelope solutions, is to begin manufacturing its Pavadry woodfibre insulation in the UK, with an improved product specification. A high performance, internal wall insulation that controls dispersion of water from the walls into the building to prevent condensation and the risk of mould, Pavadry is the solution of choice for solid wall buildings, and is particularly popular as a retrofit solution for heritage properties. The revised product will be manufactured with an OSB-facing, rather than the MDF previously used, making it easier and faster to install. Roland Jackson, commercial director at Soprema UK explains: “Pavadry enables the thermal performance of solid wall and heritage properties to be improved without changing their external appearance or unbalancing their building physics. The improved product will continue to deliver those benefits but the OSB facing will allow screw fixings to be attached directly to the board, rather than requiring a counter sink to accommodate a screw head. Over the course of an installation, this will save considerable time and aid consistency.” The move of production from Switzerland to Manchester enables changes to the manufacturing process and ensures reliable lead times and supply for UK specifiers and contractors, at a time when demand for renewable and sustainable solutions is high. Roland continues: “With the Green Deal now extended for another year until March 2022, homeowners and landlords have a great opportunity to improve the comfort of their property and reduce its carbon footprint. Meanwhile, the £1 billion Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) remains open for grant applications to fund energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation measures in publicly-owned property assets until the end of January 2021. The £4 billion levelling-up fund also includes investment in housing and local arts and culture, with bidding for projects beginning in 2021. “With so many incentives available to invest in carbon reduction improvements, there is high demand for Pavadry because it is made from natural, renewable materials, is completely recyclable and has such a positive effect on thermal performance and building comfort. Bringing production to the UK and making the product easier to install are the right choices at the right time.”