A complete wall system launching today (Wednesday 5 March) will make offsite construction solutions more accessible to small and regional housebuilders and contractors.
EnveoVent, from Saint-Gobain, is the first complete through-the-wall solution from a single manufacturer.
The Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) framework Category 2 panellised system is a fully tested, complete, ventilated and insulated structural wall with a choice of internal and external finishes, offering a more sustainable1 alternative to traditional masonry construction.
Giving small and regional housebuilders and contractors more straightforward access to offsite solutions, it offers one warranty, one procurement route and one single point of contact, while improving build speed and efficiency.
The solution has been designed for the social housing market, delivering speedier build schedules and warmer homes for residents, beating thermal performance requirements of the upcoming Future Homes Standard2.
Saint-Gobain UK & Ireland CEO Mike Chaldecott said: “The UK has a target to build 1.5 million homes in five years, however, in 2022-233 there were just 234,400 net additional dwellings built and during the last ten years there have been 177,487 social homes lost4 in total. To help tackle the housing crisis and increase workforce capacity, we must innovate – and EnveoVent plays a crucial role in this.
“This is a Saint-Gobain first in the UK. We are incredibly proud to be launching a complete wall solution that has been rigorously tested as a system to deliver the required levels of fire, acoustic and thermal performance. EnveoVent demonstrates our commitment to lightweight construction methods and our clear purpose to make the world a better home.”
With the proportion of homes in the next 10 years built using modern methods of construction (MMC) predicted to rise to around 20%5, Saint-Gobain is offering more offsite solutions to social housing providers and small and regional housebuilders and contractors.
Now, the EnveoVent solution has been piloted by Saint-Gobain and TR Partnership Homes at a Midland Heart housing association development of 12 social homes in Birmingham.
Gemma Davey, Midland Heart senior project manager, said: “There is a shortfall of decent, affordable homes across the UK, with around 60,000 people in our region on a waiting list for a home. Cost of living increases, including exceptionally high energy bills, also make it more important than ever that our homes are not only affordable to rent, but energy efficient and cheaper to run. EnveoVent is helping us meet these challenges.”
Steve Thompson, TR Partnership Homes director, said: “In construction we need to change our approach to building if we are to meet future demand. We now think completely differently about offsite having seen it in action – it’s changed the way we view projects. Quality control can be tighter and the level of waste on site has more than halved. The increased energy efficiency of the wall means it more readily meets Future Homes Standard targets and wider sustainability goals.”
Comprising a more sustainable, closed panel timber frame, the solution switches traditional masonry for timber, which has been shown to cut embodied carbon emissions by around 20%1 The system also uses mineral wool insulation manufactured from up to 65% recycled glass and carries a U-value of 0.16 to 0.13 W/m2K, depending on wall thickness, which exceeds the 0.18 W/m2K required by the Future Homes Standard in 2025.
Complete fire, thermal and acoustic performance testing has been carried out on the EnveoVent system, alongside fully detailed structural calculations. This meets requirements of the Building Safety Act 2022 for a golden thread of secure, easily accessible and accurate product information.
Saint-Gobain UK & Ireland CFO Nick Cammack said: “Our construction sector is expected to offer complete information about the fully certified products used within a building or system. EnveoVent gives customers a golden thread of confidence, with details on the individual products, testing and accreditations.
“By working together and combining systems, we have created a fully tested, lightweight complete wall solution, delivered in ‘plot packs’ to optimise delivery programmes. This reduces build times, cuts costs, and brings significant commercial benefits to housebuilders and registered social landlords.”
The solution was first trialled and tested in the successful eHome2 project, a project built in collaboration between Saint-Gobain and Barratt Developments in the University of Salford’s Energy House 2.0 climatic chamber.
The system comprises Saint-Gobain products and services from British Gypsum, Isover, Okarno, Scotframe and Weber, and can be purchased via a single transaction through Saint-Gobain Off-Site Solutions, simplifying the procurement process.
https://bit.ly/EnveoVent
1By substituting masonry for timber frame, the embodied carbon emissions reduction for each building constructed is around 20%. Committee on Climate Change – BioComposites Centre Report.
2Tests on eHome2, at Energy House 2.0, University of Salford, showed that the standard of fabric energy efficiency from EnveoVent materials means home can be heated via air source heat pump for £1.84/day.
EnveoVent offers more thermal efficiency than the external wall U-value of 0.18 W/m2K proposed by the Future Homes Standard. Its U-value is between 0.13 and 0.16 W/m2K depending on wall thickness (lower values are better).
3Additional dwellings – Gov.uk
4Social homes lost - Crisis
5Savills Modern Methods of Construction Report
