Orbit Housing’s Fordham House development in Stratford-upon-Avon is an 82 apartment block designed to shield its residents from noise, many of whom are local workers in restaurants and bars so have to work shifts outside the usual working day.
This is achieved with special acoustic ceilings added to deep hollow concrete floor slabs. Fitted blinds within the window reveals also provide an additional noise cushion.
Much of the budget for these above-and-beyond features has come from the specification of Modus PVC-U windows from Eurocell in place of the more expensive aluminium frames originally specified. Modus met the requirements for acoustic performance demanded by the building design, with the money saved going towards improved soundproofing and higher spec quartz worktops in the kitchens.
The result is a significant reduction in costs, with no compromise on building design and performance. Despite the building being located on the busiest road in Stratford, residents have been satisfied with the noise suppression provided. Confirmation of the Fordham House project quality came with major award wins in the 2019 Inside Housing Development Awards – Best Build for Rent Development and RICS Residential Property of the year (West Midlands).
“We saved a significant amount without compromising on the specification or the design,” said Adam Cooper, Commercial Director, Orbit Homes.
“We did not need to increase the specification for the windows: the existing specification from Eurocell provided the level of acoustic protection that we needed. And from a planner’s point of view, they look identical to aluminium.”
BBA-certified to function satisfactorily for more than 35 years, the Modus range achieves a U-value of 1.2 W/m² using 4/20/4 mm using sealed double-glazed units. This effective thermal performance is due to the 75mm six-chamber profile system used in the Modus that also enables the range to achieve a U-value of 0.7 by installing triple-glazed units.
This led to Modus becoming one of the very first systems to achieve the BRFC Window Energy Rating (WER) of A++. This is only awarded to windows with an energy index value equal to or greater than +20; and Modus A++ designs include casement, reversible and tilt and turn.
Consisting of 50% post-consumer recycled PVC-U as standard, Modus has a smaller carbon footprint than products made or recycled outside of the UK. Eurocell achieves this by employing dual material extrusion technology (DMET) that layers post-consumer recycled and ‘virgin’ material simultaneously, so the recycled material is concentrated in the central core of the profiles where it cannot be seen once the door or window is installed.
It’s for reasons like this that Eurocell was named Manufacturer of the Year at the MRW National Recycling Awards in 2018, where a panel of judges from recycling associations, local councils and the construction industry praised Eurocell’s high levels of innovation across its entire business.
