Knauf Insulation’s ThermoShell External Wall Insulation (EWI) rock system has helped to transform four residential blocks at Peregrine Road in Spelthorne, Surrey, as part of a £1.7m scheme undertaken by housing association, A2 Dominion.
The EWI system has improved not only the energy efficiency of the 34 homes, it has also saved money on the residents’ energy bills and enhanced the appearance of the area.
Laura Donovan, project manager at A2 Dominion commented: “Over the past few years we have decided to embrace the challenge of improving the energy efficiency of our housing stock and so we chose to tackle our properties in Spelthorne. Throughout the project we had a working partnership between the residents, suppliers and contractors. This ultimately made the renovation process easier for everyone working on site and those living in the homes.
“Although we were ineligible for ECO funding having already received support under the CERT scheme, we still chose to install EWI to the residential blocks as it offered a range of attractive solutions, including the energy performance of the system and the ability to upgrade the aesthetics of a property.”
Knauf Insulation’s ThermoShell EWI system using rock mineral wool insulation, was installed to the four residential blocks and rendered using a combination of colours: blue and white – which were chosen by the residents from an engagement programme organised by A2 Dominion at the beginning of the project.
Johan Van Zyl, regional operations manager at Mitie, said: “Due to the concrete beam construction, the buildings were facing problems of cold bridging causing damp spots. Finding a solution to the cold bridging was a starting point of the project and originally we thought of installing an Internal Wall Insulation (IWI) system. However, after meetings with A2 Dominion we came to the conclusion that the building itself needed a facelift and so we decided that an EWI system would be a better option. We therefore opted to install Knauf Insulation’s ThermoShell system and we already had an existing relationship with the company.”
The ThermoShell EWI rock system is a cost effective solid wall insulation solution, designed for the lifetime of a property. The system shields the existing exterior façade, whether brick, stonework, concrete or clay blockwork, from the effects of weathering – extending the longevity of the building but also providing the opportunity to enhance and upgrade the appearance of the building.
The innovative system has also achieved a British Board of Agrément (BBA) certificate, which provides contractors and specifiers with peace of mind that the system is under full guarantee and warranty.
Johan continued: “As we had never used Knauf Insulation’s ThermoShell EWI system before, we sent our team to its training centre in Cheltenham to learn how to install the products and to learn about the theory behind it. The training offered our colleagues confidence in both the product and their own ability to undertake the project.
“What’s more, throughout the installation the technical sales manager, Kevin O’Keefe, regularly visited the site to check on the progress and offer assistance to anyone that required it. As the project continued, Kevin did not need to visit as often but if we called him, he would be with us the next day - exactly the type of service we require with all projects.”
Laura concluded: “There was a lot of antisocial behaviour around the residential flats and as the properties were not gated, it was served as a cut through. However, since the renovation of the blocks were completed, we have been informed by the local police that there has been a significant improvement to the antisocial behaviour problems in the area – which is not only great news for us, but also for our residents occupying the homes.
“Our tenants have also provided us with positive feedback in regards to the reduced area problems and how they are already saving money on their energy bills.”