Insulate Magazine Issue 10 - September 2017

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Read More from the BBA:
The Top 5 Reasons Products Fail
(Insulate Magazine, Issue 9)
Insulate Magazine Issue 10 - September 2017
Hot news - The BBA is set to tackle failed
cavity wall insulation problems once and for all.
Recent times have seen an increase in news items featuring problems
experienced by some UK home dwellers caused by cavity Wall Insulation.
It’s a subject much in debate at present, with questions being asked in parliament
as well as on radio programme discussions and in topical trade magazines.
First invented in the 19th century and
introduced in its current form into general
housing during the 1970s, cavity wall insulation
is arguably one of the best heat and
energy saving developments in history.
However, during the last 30 years the
number of products and installation
methods have increased significantly, and
there is growing confusion as to best
practice and what’s actually
right for householders.
Some time ago It became clear to the
British Board of Agrément (BBA) that,
in some cases of cavity wall insulation
retrofit, consumer confidence is being
undermined by the fact that insulation is
being installed into properties which are
unsuitable.
To address the problem and bring peace
of mind to consumers, the BBA has developed
the Cavity Assessment Surveillance
Scheme (CASS®), which monitors
the competency of Property Assessors
responsible for overseeing
these interventions.
CASS team leader at the
BBA, Alice Buckeridge,
explains how it works:
“CASS® will check the suitability of properties
submitted by Property Assessors for
cavity wall insulation at the beginning
of the process, and provide independent
third party validation of suitability.
This results in procedures that ensure all
BBA approved installers obtain the
necessary guarantees that determine the
best possible outcome for insulation
retrofits, considerably reducing the problems
associated with inadequate evaluations at the outset.”
Technical experts at the BBA are highly experienced in
the certification of products and services in the building
and construction industry.
The CASS® scheme has been put in place to harmonise
with the BBA’s traditional practice of raising and maintaining
industry standards, while helping to address
inconsistencies that have become increasingly worrying
for those operating in the property and housing sector,
Local Authorities and Housing Associations, the
industry as a whole and of course to house dwellers
everywhere who are making difficult decisions about
improving their homes.
...consumer confidence is being undermined
by the fact that insulation is being installed
into properties which are unsuitable.
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