Insulate Magazine May 2018
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Reflecting<br />
on Success<br />
The only independent<br />
insulation industry<br />
trade magazine<br />
Issue 18 <strong>May</strong> <strong>2018</strong><br />
Schooled in Insulation<br />
Urgent Action on Building Safety<br />
Sound Method of Construction<br />
Cavity Wall Insulation<br />
World Cup <strong>2018</strong><br />
Wall Planner
The only independent<br />
insulation industry<br />
trade magazine<br />
Insulation<br />
Outlook <strong>2018</strong><br />
The only independent<br />
insulation industry<br />
trade magazine<br />
Published on a monthly basis by Versanta ltd<br />
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Call 01948 759 351<br />
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Issue 14 | January <strong>2018</strong><br />
Website: www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
Standing Out From the Crowd<br />
Email: sales@insulatenetwork.com<br />
NIA Conference Review<br />
Keeping Everything Moving<br />
Review, Reflect and Reset<br />
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Outlook <strong>2018</strong><br />
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Issue 14 | January <strong>2018</strong><br />
Standing Out From the Crowd<br />
NIA Conference Review<br />
Keeping Everything Moving<br />
Standing Out From the Crowd<br />
Review, Reflect and Reset<br />
Issue 14 | January <strong>2018</strong><br />
NIA Conference Review<br />
Keeping Everything M<br />
Review, Reflec<br />
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Contents<br />
It is fitting that the sun begins to show its face again and<br />
growth is back on natures agenda. The growth and<br />
appreciation for this publication is equally as satisfying for<br />
our dedicated team as we bring you issue 18. Special thanks to<br />
the committed companies that are proud of what they do and<br />
continue to support a best practice sharing, industry celebrating<br />
publication for their industry.<br />
With Sadness<br />
Back in December 2016, when we were promoting the launch of<br />
<strong>Insulate</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>, I spoke to Kiwa BDA about the possibility of<br />
working with them and sharing industry related content. My details<br />
were passed to Alan Thomas, a consultant looking to increase<br />
brand awareness for the Kiwa Agrément certification.<br />
Alan and I exchanged many emails discussing the benefits of the<br />
publication and potential routes to market for Kiwa. Alan wrote<br />
three article during the following months that were read extensively<br />
online and no doubt in print. Sadly Alan passed away on<br />
<strong>May</strong> 3 rd this year and our thoughts are with his family and friends<br />
at this time.<br />
Reflecting on Success - Huw Reese Isover<br />
6<br />
Over 100 Attend NIA Event<br />
15<br />
Alternative Insulation Materials<br />
16<br />
Cladding Solutions 18<br />
Urgent Action Over Building Safety<br />
22<br />
Schooled in Insulation 24<br />
Sound Advice for Hearing Protection 27<br />
Landlords and Energy Efficiency Regulations 29<br />
The Challenges of Surveying CWI<br />
30<br />
Vilvalda Cuts Recycling Costs by Three Quarters 33<br />
Can the New Eco3 Scheme Deliver on Promises<br />
34<br />
Sound Method of Sustainable Construction<br />
36<br />
Colin Heath<br />
Managing Editor<br />
colin@insulatenetwork.com<br />
@colin_insulate<br />
6<br />
22<br />
Jamie Street<br />
Head of Creative<br />
jamie@insulatenetwork.com<br />
@jamie_insulate<br />
18 28<br />
Paul Forrester<br />
Technical Editor<br />
Free Inside: Page 20-21<br />
World Cup <strong>2018</strong> Match Planner<br />
ROUND OF 16<br />
QUARTER FINALS<br />
SEMI FINALS<br />
The<br />
3 rd PLACE<br />
UK's<br />
FINALS - 14th July 3pm<br />
only dedicated<br />
trade journal for the<br />
THE FINAL -<br />
insulation<br />
15th July 4pm<br />
industry<br />
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
3
The only independent insulation industry trade magazine<br />
instant insulate<br />
A quick look at what is in store in this months issue of <strong>Insulate</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>.<br />
Head over to page 27 for Landlords and Energy Efficiency<br />
I know that the insulation market is<br />
improving all the time and yes there are<br />
leaders out there and we are one of those.<br />
Read More: Page 6<br />
The association consists of<br />
polyurethane foam installers<br />
operating to high standards, together<br />
with material and equipment<br />
suppliers.<br />
Ecobuild Review: Page 16<br />
Many people have benefited from improved<br />
insulation within their cavity walls. Whilst<br />
others have suffered greatly from penetrating<br />
dampness, condensation and mould.<br />
Read More: Page 30<br />
Educating people of school age about the<br />
buildings they live, work and play in<br />
would be a fine addition to any curriculum.<br />
Whether they go on to work in the<br />
construction industry or not, they will be<br />
building owners, occupiers and users.<br />
Read More: Page 24<br />
This is not a “do nothing” approach whilst we<br />
await the outcomes of the Hackitt Review. We<br />
need very real and practical action in the short<br />
to medium term and Government must lead this<br />
action from the front.<br />
Read More: Page 22<br />
It’s vital that landlords have access to<br />
the most trusted and reliable of local<br />
specialists, and hopes that its online<br />
service will enable landlords to meet<br />
their obligations by making their<br />
properties more energy efficient.<br />
Read More: Page 29<br />
Of course, we need to ensure that one of the key<br />
opportunities isn’t missed and that is to ensure<br />
that the fabric of the building is as thermally<br />
efficient as it can be before installing<br />
other measures.<br />
Read More: Page 34<br />
By going beyond the call of duty to<br />
construct homes which excel in terms of<br />
thermal performance building, regulations<br />
regarding energy-efficiency have<br />
little relevance<br />
Read More: Page 36<br />
For Sound Advice for Hearing Insulation Turn to page 27<br />
4<br />
www.insulatenetwork.com
6<br />
<strong>Insulate</strong> Exclusive
Reflecting on<br />
Success<br />
Exclusive interview Huw Rees (Isover) with Colin Heath from <strong>Insulate</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>s<br />
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
7
The only independent insulation industry trade magazine<br />
<strong>Insulate</strong> Exclusive<br />
Huw Rees<br />
The Highs and Lows<br />
As he approaches retirement,<br />
<strong>Insulate</strong> Managing<br />
Editor sat down with Huw<br />
Rees to discuss his career in the<br />
insulation industry and the many<br />
changes that he has seen during<br />
that time.<br />
Huw, thanks for taking the time to<br />
talk to us, could you give me a brief<br />
overview of your career to date?<br />
Well, I started in 1988 working in<br />
sales. Then I was lucky as Andrew<br />
Handley, who was the Sales Director<br />
of British Gypsum, said there<br />
was a vacancy as Regional Sales Director<br />
in London, so I went and had<br />
a chat with them and sure enough,<br />
the opportunity turned into reality.<br />
It was fantastic for me because I<br />
knew a lot of the sub-contractors<br />
in the area. It was a great business<br />
to be with, and the opportunity<br />
to work for British Gypsum was a<br />
blessing, superb and the best time of<br />
my life.<br />
So how long in the Industry<br />
overall?<br />
Coming up to 30 years now. I was<br />
with British Gypsum for about 25<br />
years, and then with Isover.<br />
In that time what do you think the<br />
biggest shift has been in the Industry<br />
that you’ve seen?<br />
I think loyalty. You know in the<br />
past there was a lot of brand loyalty,<br />
then there was a move to low pricing<br />
dominating the market. However<br />
more recently, there’s been a move<br />
towards value added and performance.<br />
Don’t get me wrong, price is<br />
still an issue but so is performance<br />
and quality.<br />
Some of the main contractors, in<br />
order to win projects, are inclined to<br />
opt to use the cheapest material and<br />
not necessarily looking at quality.<br />
However the end consumers and<br />
specifiers in the market are feeding<br />
back up the chain that performance<br />
and quality are more than a luxury,<br />
but rather it’s been demanded and<br />
the norm.<br />
So one of the biggest things that<br />
I’ve seen is the move from loyalty to<br />
price, and now to quality and<br />
performance within system<br />
solutions.<br />
8<br />
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www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
I suppose the other thing is how innovation has changed<br />
as well in that period of time; we’ve gone from just a<br />
simple wall board to fireline, to duplex insulation and the<br />
move towards integrated systems that work together to<br />
deliver outstanding quality performance.<br />
Another major shift, is the move towards the benefits of<br />
sound insulation. Over the years many houses built suffer<br />
from poor sound insulation, particularly in semi-detached<br />
buildings and apartments.<br />
There are so many different types of insulation to keep<br />
up with the demands of the insulation<br />
market, and it is improving all the<br />
time - and yes there are leaders out<br />
there and we are one of those.<br />
playing Rugby League in Australia. I was flying home<br />
and I told one of the boys to keep a piece of paper for me<br />
from the job advertisements. I phoned up a guy called<br />
Mr Brown and said: “look, I’ve just arrived back in the<br />
UK any chance of an interview?” He answered with:<br />
“sorry mate, all the interviews are done and finished.” I<br />
said: “well look, when is the last day of interviews? He<br />
replied with tomorrow. I said: “right, where do you live?”<br />
To which he said St Ives Cambridge. Having established<br />
that he would have to travel through the Dartford Tunnel<br />
to get home, with about five hours of queues, I suggested<br />
So how would you say the technology<br />
has changed during your time within<br />
your role and within the wider<br />
industry<br />
Well, when I first started we didn’t<br />
have mobile phones we had the phone<br />
box! We’d phone in at the end of the<br />
day to see what was going on, then we<br />
had the ‘brick phone’ and that worked<br />
only in certain areas and then moving<br />
on from there, we had Kalamazoo as a<br />
reporting tool – it was a tick box basically<br />
and then that started evolving.<br />
When I started, we had three calls to<br />
make a day you’d write down what<br />
you had discussed in the car, what<br />
materials the customer was interested<br />
in purchasing and you would just send it in, on a weekly<br />
basis - not every day! The customer wouldn’t necessarily<br />
place an order with you but what they were intending to<br />
order.<br />
Another major shift, is the move towards the benefits of<br />
sound insulation. Over the years many houses built suffer<br />
from poor sound insulation, particularly in semi-detached<br />
buildings and apartments. There are so many different<br />
types of insulation to keep up with the demands of the<br />
insulation market, and it is improving all the time - and<br />
yes there are leaders out there and we are one of those.<br />
In those days the geography was so much smaller; my<br />
first patch was North West London as a Sales Representative.<br />
I got the job actually having come back from<br />
to see him at 4 o’clock, have an interview and see how it<br />
goes. I found out a lot about British Gypsum at the time<br />
and at the end of the interview, he asked if I had anymore<br />
questions to which I said: “When do I start?” And<br />
that was it, that’s how I started. But going back to your<br />
question, it’s gone from those days of having paper and<br />
just writing one or two reports, to now touching a button<br />
with laptops and iPads, and having the sales figures up in<br />
front of you in a nanosecond.<br />
In real time?<br />
Yes real-time. It’s quite incredible how it’s all changed<br />
and who knows what’s going to happen in the next ten<br />
years.<br />
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
9
The only independent insulation industry trade magazine<br />
If you were going to go back and<br />
give advice to your pre-insulation<br />
industry self, what advice would you<br />
give somebody that was coming into<br />
the industry right now<br />
I think first of<br />
all you have to<br />
understand the<br />
business and<br />
understand the<br />
infrastructure -<br />
don’t go around<br />
like a headless<br />
chicken trying<br />
to see every<br />
customer, get<br />
the backroom in<br />
order first of all<br />
and be organised.<br />
Get a firm<br />
structure in place<br />
and then look at<br />
working with the<br />
Regional Sales<br />
Directors to<br />
develop certain<br />
areas, key accounts<br />
and have<br />
a firm strategy<br />
going forward.<br />
Always have an<br />
eye on the horizon,<br />
that’s where<br />
the innovation is,<br />
that’s the future.<br />
For example, look<br />
how the market is now demanding<br />
high performance sound insulation,<br />
which is something that hardly<br />
featured ten years ago!<br />
When I joined the business in<br />
Isover, I did a survey across the<br />
contractors, sub-contractors and<br />
distributors to find out what they<br />
wanted from Isover going forward;<br />
they said value, innovation and clear<br />
communication.<br />
I knew it was important to get the<br />
brand name out there, so I just got<br />
out and saw as many people as I<br />
could and put Isover cards in front<br />
of them saying: “look I’ve moved<br />
over from British Gypsum with<br />
David Travill, to Isover - still the<br />
same business, Saint-Gobain.” I<br />
wanted to remind them that we’re<br />
[Isover] here and if there were any<br />
opportunities that we can capitalise<br />
on. We had some great success with<br />
a number of key distributors who<br />
were able to support us.<br />
And leveraging a whole other skillset<br />
probably, I’d say as well, because obviously<br />
you’ve been in that BG bubble<br />
as being a market leader, obviously<br />
you were going to leverage contacts<br />
because that is what everybody does,<br />
but it’s a different skillset getting<br />
products into store than it is when<br />
you are BG because obviously they’ve<br />
already got that.<br />
Yes that’s right, and the key to us as<br />
Saint-Gobain and Isover, we need<br />
to continue to work closely with<br />
British Gypsum for the specification<br />
of full system solutions.<br />
Would you say that your retirement is<br />
coming too early or too late?<br />
Well, do you know I think it’s<br />
coming at the right time for me.<br />
As I’ve said, I’ve worked for British<br />
Gypsum and Isover for thirty years,<br />
much of that time I’ve been away<br />
from home. I’ve still got a young<br />
family so it’s an opportunity to<br />
spend more time with them. My<br />
wife, Sian had a very good job<br />
working for Michael Heseltine, she<br />
was number three in his business in<br />
market publishing.<br />
10<br />
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So we decided she should concentrate on doing that<br />
before we started having children.<br />
We bought a house in Swansea 20 years ago, lovely house<br />
looking over the bay and it’s just great for me with this<br />
opportunity knowing that I would be at home seeing the<br />
family being able to run around to netball and football.<br />
Being able to support Sian is important, as she’s a Lecturer<br />
at the University as well now, so she’s been juggling<br />
so much - she was also a netball coach, so it was full on<br />
for her. I’m sure you know, wives and girlfriends seem to<br />
be able to do everything – you just don’t know how they<br />
do it!<br />
So back to the industry, what challenges do you think the<br />
industry has got to overcome right now and to continue to<br />
promote what we do?<br />
I think we spoke about it earlier; the challenges are first<br />
of all producing quality material and being able to offer a<br />
quality service.<br />
I think the other thing is getting the mind-set right with<br />
the customers, so that they fully understand that we<br />
operate in systems and therefore, have robust warranties<br />
in place. We want to make sure our customers are<br />
working with the right systems and materials so we can<br />
support them 100%.<br />
So the final question… You have open dialogue with the<br />
industry now, the wider industry I’m talking about, so<br />
the entire insulation industry across all types, systems etc.,<br />
what would be your closing message as you were leaving<br />
the industry?<br />
Tricky question that Colin!<br />
We need to embrace the philosophy of the right system<br />
solution for the build challenge, rather than a narrow<br />
focus on one product that may only deliver a fraction of<br />
the quality.<br />
I think as an industry, we must remember that it’s not<br />
just about the ‘build spec’ or the margin, it’s about the<br />
end users as well. Insulation isn’t just about keeping<br />
homes and offices quiet and warm, it’s about creating a<br />
home or office space that’s good to live and work in; in<br />
other words we have a chance to add to peoples’ quality<br />
of life.<br />
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
11
The challenges are first of all<br />
producing quality material and<br />
being able to offer a<br />
quality service.
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
I think you have to understand the<br />
business and understand the<br />
infrastructure - don’t go around like<br />
a headless chicken trying to see every<br />
customer, get the backroom in order<br />
first of all and be organised.<br />
Get a firm structure in place and<br />
then look at working with the<br />
Regional Sales Directors to develop<br />
certain areas, key accounts and have<br />
a firm strategy going forward.<br />
Thanks for taking the time once again Huw, we really<br />
appreciate it and wish you all the very best in your<br />
retirement.<br />
Thanks Colin, working for companies like British<br />
Gypsum, Isover, Saint-Gobain - it’s the biggest family<br />
that I have ever been involved with. It’s been fantastic;<br />
if you are prepared to help people, then people will help<br />
you back and from that point of view I would never<br />
have wished to work for anybody else. It’s been just the<br />
best thirty years, the people are so generous, supportive,<br />
fantastic you know…!<br />
Excellent thank you very much<br />
More from Isover<br />
For more information about Isover’s insulation<br />
products and solutions:<br />
https://www.isover.co.uk/<br />
twitter: IsoverUK<br />
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13
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<strong>Insulate</strong> News<br />
Over 100 attend NIA<br />
Special Insulation Industry Event<br />
The National Insulation Association (NIA), with<br />
external speakers, recently addressed over 100<br />
industry delegates at its special briefing event<br />
on Thursday 26th April in Hinckley, Leicestershire. The<br />
event provided attendees with comprehensive details<br />
of a number of key developments<br />
that will impact their<br />
businesses over the next year.<br />
After lunch Simon Ayers, Trustmarks CEO gave an<br />
interesting and informative presentation on the new<br />
Each Home Counts Quality Mark that will be specified<br />
for all funded work. Adrian Hull from THS Inspection<br />
The day kicked off with an<br />
opening address from Derek<br />
Horrocks, NIA Chair. He<br />
stated that “important developments<br />
are on the horizon” and<br />
that it was the NIA’s aim to<br />
ensure its members had the<br />
most up to date information<br />
to aid their business planning.<br />
He also said that now is the<br />
time to influence the outcomes<br />
too.<br />
Neil Marshall, Chief Executive<br />
of the NIA, followed up<br />
by setting out details of the<br />
NIA’s new strategy and plans<br />
which are focussed on four<br />
key areas; Policies and Funded Schemes; Quality and<br />
Standards; New Markets and Business Development/<br />
Lead Generation.<br />
Richard Mellish and Alice Hunter from the Department<br />
for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)<br />
provided an update on the ECO3 consultation and Neil<br />
Marshall then responded by setting out NIA member’s<br />
views on the proposals. Neil urged all members to<br />
respond to the consultation to ensure their views and<br />
opinions are taken into account.<br />
Services and Chair of the Association of Technical<br />
Monitoring Agents rounded off the day by providing<br />
insights into technical monitoring and future<br />
developments that would impact insulation companies.<br />
Specialist events such as these are just one of the many<br />
benefits of becoming a member of the NIA.<br />
Companies wishing to join the NIA should contact the<br />
NIA on 01525383313 or email info@nia-uk.org<br />
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
15
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
<strong>Insulate</strong> Columnist<br />
Alternative Insulation Materials<br />
Polyurethane foam for better insulation<br />
By Leonie Onslow, Executive Director, British Urethane Foam Contractors Association<br />
Polyurethane foam can be used as a high performing insulant for all types of building projects to meet or<br />
exceed today’s standards. It is also widely used for remodelling purposes, for instance in barn conversions.<br />
When used for airtightness or stabilisation under the roof or within the cavity it outperforms most other<br />
materials.<br />
The sprayed or injected foam is not<br />
just an insulant – it can be used for<br />
stabilisation purposes, for instance<br />
to hold tiles in place for a stronger<br />
roof structure or to take the place of<br />
failing cavity wall ties. The material<br />
can often be used when other materials<br />
are simply not suitable. The<br />
material is so versatile that it can<br />
be used in many different situations<br />
from buildings to boats!<br />
The polyurethane foam insulant is a<br />
two-component liquid system which<br />
produces a highly-efficient blanket<br />
of insulation with an exceptional<br />
thermal conductivity figure. Systems<br />
can be applied to various depths and<br />
have K-values in the range of 0.025<br />
to 0.028W/mK.<br />
The trade association for the sprayed<br />
and injected polyurethane foam industry<br />
is the British Urethane Foam<br />
Contractors Association. BUFCA is<br />
a central resource for the application<br />
of polyurethane foam systems. The<br />
association consists of polyurethane<br />
foam installers operating to high<br />
standards, together with material<br />
and equipment suppliers.<br />
Polyurethane foam can be installed<br />
to help meet Building Regulations<br />
as wall insulation, roof insulation,<br />
floor insulation or to fill voids and<br />
other areas providing a seamless,<br />
thermal insulation barrier. Other<br />
jointed systems give rise to a<br />
potentially weak point, leading to<br />
asignificant loss of insulation value.<br />
For wall insulation, injected polyurethane<br />
foam can be used in the<br />
cavity to provide a superior performing<br />
insulant which also helps<br />
to bond the inner and outer leaves<br />
providing strength to the building.<br />
Air leakage through the cavity can<br />
be reduced to zero. Because of the<br />
greater thermal performance and<br />
16<br />
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www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
Also read in this months insulate:<br />
Educating people of school age about<br />
the buildings they live, work and play<br />
in would be a fine addition to any<br />
curriculum.<br />
Continue Reading:<br />
Page 24<br />
This is not a “do nothing” approach<br />
whilst we await the outcomes of the<br />
Hackitt Review. We need very real<br />
and practical action in the short to<br />
medium term<br />
Continue Reading:<br />
Page 22<br />
By going beyond the call of duty to<br />
construct homes which excel in terms of<br />
thermal performance building,<br />
regulations regarding energy-efficiency<br />
have little relevance<br />
Continue Reading:<br />
Page 36<br />
The trade association for the sprayed<br />
and injected polyurethane foam<br />
industry is the British Urethane Foam<br />
Contractors Association. BUFCA is a<br />
central resource for the application of<br />
polyurethane foam systems.<br />
The association consists of<br />
polyurethane foam installers operating<br />
to high standards, together with<br />
material and equipment suppliers.<br />
the reduced air leakage PU foam outperforms all other<br />
forms of cavity fill.<br />
It is a much less costly alternative to re-roofing and can be<br />
applied to slates, tiles and other various roof coverings. It<br />
permanently cures the problems of nail fatigue and makes<br />
the roof much more resistant to storm or impact damage.<br />
Because it is liquid when it is applied, it seeks and seals any<br />
unwanted air leakage that may occur preventing the ingress<br />
of wind-driven rain, snow and dust and dramatically reducing<br />
heat loss.<br />
The foam also slows the deterioration of tile/slates by frost.<br />
On the underside of the covering frost damage is<br />
eliminated.<br />
On the weather side the frequency of the<br />
freezing/thawing cycle is reduced. Slates<br />
and tiles will be less prone to damage by<br />
impact as the foam distributes the forces.<br />
When choosing a BUFCA registered installer, customers<br />
can be assured of the highest standards of quality and<br />
service. www.bufca.co.uk.<br />
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
17
<strong>Insulate</strong> News<br />
Cladding Solutions<br />
Adrian Pargeter, Head of Technical and Marketing, Kingspan Insulation Limited<br />
Latest Guidance<br />
Following the completion of<br />
the Ministry of Housing,<br />
Communities and Local<br />
Government (MHCLG) largescale<br />
testing programme last<br />
summer, the Ministry issued a consolidated<br />
guidance note clarifying<br />
which cladding systems could be<br />
considered acceptable for use on<br />
buildings above 18 metres. This<br />
guidance has now been updated,<br />
acknowledging that additional<br />
systems have completed large-scale<br />
BS8414 tests and achieve a BR-135<br />
classification. This may mean that<br />
some buildings no longer require<br />
remedial work or that there are alternative<br />
solutions where re-cladding<br />
is required.<br />
Current Guidance<br />
The broad guidance remains that<br />
any wall system containing a PE<br />
cored ACM cladding panel (such as<br />
was on Grenfell Tower), even when<br />
combined with non-combustible<br />
insulation, would not be considered<br />
compliant.<br />
At the other end of the scale, systems<br />
with an A2 rated, solid-cored<br />
ACM, are deemed to have passed<br />
the test, regardless of whether they<br />
are combined with rock fibre, PIR<br />
or phenolic insulation, with the<br />
proviso that different products from<br />
different manufacturers will vary,<br />
which may affect fire performance.<br />
It is those cladding systems with FR<br />
cored ACMs that present the greatest<br />
complexity. The Government<br />
tests on these systems yielded a pass<br />
result for rock fibre and a marginal<br />
fail for PIR and phenolic.<br />
The most recent advice note for<br />
building owners which was updated<br />
on 28 March <strong>2018</strong> states:<br />
“However, it is important to note that<br />
there are many different variants of<br />
this cladding and insulation and it is<br />
possible that products from different<br />
manufacturers may behave differently<br />
in a fire.”<br />
It should not be assumed therefore,<br />
that FR cored ACMs in combination<br />
with any rock fibre are automatically<br />
compliant. The guidance<br />
goes on to note that two cladding<br />
systems using FR cored ACMs and<br />
one brand of phenolic insulation,<br />
have been tested to BS 8414-1 and<br />
have achieved BR 135 classification.<br />
This means that some buildings,<br />
which are insulated with that brand<br />
of phenolic insulation, may not require<br />
remedial work, or may require<br />
less than was originally estimated.<br />
The BRE holds a register of all<br />
cladding configurations which have<br />
been successfully tested to BS8414<br />
at: www.bre.co.uk/regulatory-testing.<br />
Remember that BS 8414 results<br />
only apply to the specific design<br />
tested and seek professional advice<br />
and guidance as to whether your<br />
system complies. Note also that<br />
recent tests may not yet be listed on<br />
the BRE website. You can refer to<br />
the manufacturers and/or designer<br />
of your current system to get the<br />
latest information.<br />
This means that<br />
some buildings,<br />
which are insulated<br />
with that brand of<br />
phenolic insulation,<br />
may not require<br />
remedial work, or<br />
may require less<br />
than was<br />
originally<br />
estimated.<br />
Find out More:<br />
www.kingspaninsulation.co.uk<br />
twitter: @KingspanIns_UK<br />
18<br />
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News Recap<br />
With Sadness: Alan Thomas<br />
It is with great sadness that we report the passing away of<br />
Alan Thomas.<br />
KIWA BDA have released<br />
the following statement:<br />
It is with great regret that we share the sad news of the<br />
passing of our colleague Alan Thomas. Alan was a fine<br />
man, committed to his industry that he had worked in<br />
for so many years, and was a delight to work with. A<br />
consummate professional with a gentle and humorous<br />
manner, his<br />
contribution to Kiwa will be<br />
remembered by those of us who had the pleasure to work<br />
with him.<br />
During this time, our thoughts and prayers are with his<br />
family and friends.<br />
Labour’s Plans to Save Household’s<br />
Over £1bn a Year on Energy Bills<br />
The next Labour government will save 4 million households<br />
at least £270 per year by funding local authorities<br />
to deliver ‘street by street’ home insulation schemes.<br />
Through an investment of £2.3bn per year to provide<br />
financial support for households to insulate their homes,<br />
and for local authorities to drive take up and delivery of<br />
insulation schemes, the next Labour government will<br />
drastically improve energy efficiency, bringing 4 million<br />
homes up to Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) C<br />
by the end of a<br />
parliamentary term.<br />
Read more at: www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
Kingspan Kooltherm K15 phenolic rainscreen board has been<br />
successfully tested to BS 8414 in combination with FR cored<br />
ACMs. Please contact Kingspan for details of the test reports.<br />
For all the latest insulation news<br />
and insight visit our website:<br />
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
19 19
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<strong>Insulate</strong> insulate Columnist columnist<br />
MIMA Calls for Urgent Action<br />
from Prime Minister Over Building Safety<br />
Sarah Kostense-Winterton Executive Director, MIMA<br />
Official reviews may be underway<br />
and will run their<br />
courses, but ten months on<br />
from the tragedy of Grenfell and the<br />
anniversary looming on 14 June, the<br />
UK remains no closer to a safer system<br />
of fire safety regulation and little<br />
has been done to prevent another fire.<br />
This situation is not one which can<br />
wait for outcomes. The Government<br />
must act and act now to protect the<br />
public and especially those most vulnerable<br />
in society. The Government<br />
must lead from the front.<br />
Deep-rooted concerns have prompted<br />
an open letter to the Prime Minister,<br />
Theresa <strong>May</strong> from MIMA with a<br />
group of united leading fire safety<br />
experts and advocates urging the<br />
government to implement three important<br />
regulatory changes with immediate<br />
effect that will significantly<br />
improve fire safety for high-rise and<br />
high-risk buildings, such as schools,<br />
hospitals, care homes, sheltered housing<br />
and residential blocks.<br />
These three common-sense measures<br />
will help protect people’s lives and the<br />
buildings in which they live, work,<br />
learn, and recover. The fire safety experts<br />
urge the government to require<br />
immediately that:<br />
• Only non-combustible cladding<br />
and insulation be installed;<br />
• They be fitted with sprinklers;<br />
and,<br />
• All new buildings of these types<br />
have alternative escape routes.<br />
Alongside MIMA, signatories include<br />
prominent architect, television<br />
presenter, lecturer and writer, George<br />
Clarke; European Fire Sprinkler<br />
Network (EFSN); Jane Duncan,<br />
Chair, RIBA Expert Advisory Group<br />
on Fire<br />
Safety and former President of the<br />
RIBA; Mineral Wool Manufacturers<br />
Association (MIMA); Ronnie King<br />
OBE, Honorary Administrative<br />
Secretary and Principal Adviser to the<br />
All Party Parliamentary Fire Safety<br />
& Rescue<br />
Group and former Chief Fire Officer;<br />
British Automatic Fire Sprinkler<br />
Association (BAFSA); Professor<br />
Richard Hull and Professor Anna<br />
Stec from the University of Central<br />
Lancashire; Professor Anne Power<br />
from the London School of Economics;<br />
and Sam Webb, Architect and<br />
RIBA Expert Advisory Group on<br />
Fire Safety member. so thermal resistance<br />
(R-value, units: m2K/W) is a<br />
more accurate measure of a material’s<br />
ability, at a specific thickness, to resist<br />
heat transfer.<br />
The signatories acknowledge official<br />
reviews are underway, but these steps<br />
would substantially reduce the risk<br />
still facing many buildings in the UK,<br />
and reassure the many families and<br />
individuals living and working in high<br />
risk buildings across the country.<br />
George Clarke personally supports<br />
this approach and has commented:<br />
Sarah Kostense-Winterton<br />
is Executive Director of<br />
MIMA, the Mineral Wool<br />
Insulation Manufacturers<br />
Association, the industry<br />
trade body for non-combustible,<br />
breathable insulation<br />
which provides an authoritative<br />
source of independent<br />
information and advice<br />
on glass and stone wool<br />
insulation.<br />
MIMA represents four<br />
of the leading insulation<br />
companies in the UK -<br />
Isover Saint-Gobain, Knauf<br />
Insulation, ROCKWOOL<br />
and Superglass.<br />
For further details of the<br />
guidance, please visit<br />
MIMA’s website at http://<br />
mima.info/info-centre/<br />
news/ or contact Sarah at<br />
sarah@mima.info<br />
“The rules for how we build safe homes,<br />
offices, schools and hospitals have for<br />
many years been far too open to<br />
interpretation. This has led to poor<br />
design decisions that have compromised<br />
fire safety and put lives at risk. What<br />
we are arguing for could be implemented<br />
tomorrow, would be extremely effective<br />
in making buildings safer, and help<br />
22<br />
www.insulatenetwork.com
The only independent insulation industry trade magazine<br />
prevent compromised fire safety and put lives at risk. What<br />
we are arguing for could be implemented tomorrow, would be<br />
extremely effective in making buildings safer, and help prevent<br />
a tragedy such as Grenfell ever happening again.”<br />
Professor Richard Hull, Professor of Chemistry and Fire<br />
Science at University of Central Lancashire said: “Grenfell<br />
has left no doubt about the dangers of combustible facades on<br />
tall buildings. The recent ABI report shows the problems with<br />
the current testing regime. Until they are resolved, we cannot<br />
endanger more people by allowing combustible materials to be<br />
put on the outside of high rise and high risk buildings.”<br />
Alan Brinson, Executive Director, European Fire Sprinkler<br />
Network said: “Sprinklers are highly effective fire safety<br />
systems. They are not expensive and have been fitted in many<br />
existing buildings. The public recognises all this and supports<br />
their wider use. Wales already requires sprinklers in all new<br />
housing and in Scotland there is a proposal to require them in<br />
more buildings. All eyes are now on England.”<br />
The Local Government Association (LGA) has more<br />
specifically come out in support of using non-combustible<br />
cladding and insulation only saying “The LGA strongly<br />
supports the view that only non-combustible materials should<br />
be used in cladding systems on these buildings”.<br />
MIMA has pressed for years in support of using<br />
non-combustible cladding and insulation that can inhibit<br />
the spread of fire and won’t emit any significant amounts<br />
of toxic smoke. Non-combustible materials can help<br />
contain a fire, making the difference between a fire in a<br />
building and a building on fire. The Government’s review<br />
and inquiry will run their courses but will take significant<br />
time so there is every reason to make these crucial and<br />
logical changes straightaway to ensure that buildings are<br />
being constructed in a safe manner.<br />
This is not a “do nothing” approach whilst we await the<br />
outcomes of the Hackitt Review. We need very real and<br />
practical action in the short to medium term and<br />
Government must lead this action from the front.<br />
More from MIMA:<br />
For more compelling articles from Sarah Kostense-Winterton why not read the following online now:<br />
• The Key to Housing Industry’s Success<br />
• Safety and Quality Priority in <strong>2018</strong><br />
• Ambition for Energy Efficiency<br />
• How the Government can make our Buildings Great Again<br />
This is not a “do<br />
nothing” approach whilst<br />
we await the outcomes of<br />
the Hackitt Review.<br />
We need very real and<br />
practical action in the<br />
short to medium term and<br />
Government must lead<br />
this action from the front.<br />
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
23
Exclusive <strong>Insulate</strong> Column<br />
Schooled<br />
We can all reel off topics<br />
we think should have<br />
been taught at school.<br />
Subjects that might have made<br />
finding our way in the world that<br />
little bit easier; that would have<br />
been more relevant to our everyday<br />
lives.<br />
Mortgage interest rates over<br />
quadratic equations, that kind of<br />
thing. Is it time building performance<br />
became one of those subjects?<br />
By Paul Forrester<br />
• What year was the battle of<br />
Hastings?<br />
• Who were the wives of Henry<br />
VIII?<br />
• How long was the reign of<br />
Queen Victoria?<br />
Questions like these might bring you<br />
out in a cold sweat, remembering<br />
school days long since passed, spent<br />
being forced to recite facts you were<br />
happy to forget again.<br />
Educating people of<br />
school age about the<br />
buildings they live,<br />
work and play in would<br />
be a fine addition to any<br />
curriculum. Whether<br />
they go on to work in the<br />
construction industry or<br />
not, they will be<br />
building owners,<br />
occupiers and users.<br />
Or you simply might not care.<br />
Though, ironically, those questions<br />
are such clichéd examples of ‘old<br />
school’ schooling that it’s likely you<br />
could have a good stab at answering<br />
them!<br />
They are clichés for a reason; because<br />
they typify a style of learning that is<br />
how people used to think education<br />
should be done, but which is now<br />
generally considered to be outmoded<br />
and having little relevance to the<br />
modern world.<br />
Down With the Kids<br />
In my write up of ecobuild for April’s<br />
issue of <strong>Insulate</strong>, I mentioned that<br />
school groups seemed more prevalent<br />
in <strong>2018</strong>, and people I spoke to made<br />
a similar remark. It’s good to know<br />
that young adults making decisions<br />
about shaping their lives are being<br />
exposed to the changing face of a<br />
dynamic industry.<br />
In theory.<br />
While I took a breather in the<br />
ExCel’s central atrium, a group of<br />
school pupils occupied the table next<br />
to me and began rifling through their<br />
bags of freebies. One picked out an<br />
insulation sample and threw it on to<br />
the table.<br />
“What’s that?” he said,<br />
somewhat dismissively.<br />
“Insulation,” replied a friend.<br />
24<br />
24<br />
www.insulatenetwork.com
in Insulation<br />
Paul Forrester Technical Editor, <strong>Insulate</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong><br />
Any chance of further insight into<br />
their attitude towards insulation<br />
was quickly lost to a block of<br />
post-it notes that captured their<br />
attention instead. It was a disappointing<br />
scene.<br />
and play in would be a fine<br />
addition to any curriculum.<br />
Whether they go on to work in<br />
the construction industry or not,<br />
they will be building owners, occupiers<br />
and users.<br />
Back to School<br />
What’s the motivation behind<br />
school visits to a show like ecobuild?<br />
What do teachers want the<br />
pupils to get out of it? Do they<br />
discuss what was exhibited at the<br />
event? ecobuild’s organisers have<br />
already signalled their intent to<br />
change the exhibition’s name to<br />
futurebuild in 2019; these children<br />
are the ‘future’ part of that name.<br />
Educating people of school age<br />
about the buildings they live, work<br />
They stand to inherit the existing<br />
building stock which is responsible<br />
for high levels of energy consumption<br />
and carbon emissions, and<br />
low levels of occupant comfort and<br />
wellbeing.<br />
Should exhibitions, or even<br />
individual exhibitors, make more<br />
effort to engage with schools and<br />
visiting pupils? Or is long term<br />
thinking incompatible with being<br />
there to sell to current customers?<br />
“What’s that?” he said, somewhat dismissively.<br />
“Insulation,” replied a friend.<br />
Any chance of further insight into their<br />
attitude towards insulation was quickly lost to a block of postit<br />
notes that captured their attention instead.<br />
More from Paul Forrester:<br />
For more Insulation articles from<br />
Paul Forrester why not read the<br />
following online now:<br />
• Stranger Uses of Insulation<br />
• Comparing the Car and<br />
Insulation Industry<br />
• The Issue of Insulation<br />
Supply and Demand<br />
• Is Innovation embraced in the<br />
Insulation Industry?<br />
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
25<br />
25
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insulate network puts<br />
you in touch via every device<br />
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insulatenetwork
The only independent insulation industry trade magazine<br />
<strong>Insulate</strong> Columnist<br />
Sound Advice for<br />
Hearing Protection<br />
<strong>Insulate</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> columnist George Elliott, a 3M technical specialist<br />
Within the insulation<br />
industry, workers are<br />
often surrounded<br />
by potentially hazardous noise,<br />
whether on construction sites or in<br />
manufacturing plants.<br />
Without proper protection, this can<br />
cause various ear conditions, including<br />
deafness and tinnitus, as well as<br />
associated health problems such as<br />
insomnia. Many of these conditions<br />
are entirely preventable, but incurable<br />
once they have arisen.<br />
In the UK alone, an estimated<br />
20,000 people suffer from work-related<br />
hearing problems, both new<br />
and<br />
longstanding, according to the<br />
Health and Safety<br />
Executive (HSE)[1].<br />
For these reasons, employers have a<br />
duty to protect their workers from<br />
exposure to hazardous noise. The<br />
Control of Noise at Work Regulations<br />
2005 require them to eliminate<br />
or reduce such risks.<br />
However, with such a variety of<br />
hearing protection equipment<br />
(HPE) available, it can be difficult<br />
to know which to choose. Furthermore,<br />
hearing protection is about<br />
more than simply picking the right<br />
equipment.<br />
To help employers, as well as<br />
self-employed individuals, 3M has<br />
devised a simple four-step approach<br />
to protecting workers against hazardous<br />
noise, involving detection,<br />
protection, training and validation.<br />
Detection<br />
Before anything else, employers<br />
should carry out a workplace assessment<br />
to determine whether there is<br />
a problem with hazardous noise to<br />
begin with.<br />
As a rule of thumb, if employees<br />
need to raise their voices to speak<br />
with one another, or if the noise is<br />
otherwise intrusive, it is likely that<br />
sound levels are too high.<br />
In areas where this is the case,<br />
accurate noise measurements should<br />
be taken, by either a competent<br />
person in-house or a hired<br />
consultant.<br />
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
27
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
Protection<br />
The assessment results should<br />
inform employers’ decisions about<br />
which control methods to use,<br />
including which HPE to select, if it<br />
is required.<br />
As with any other workplace hazard,<br />
those responsible for maintaining<br />
workers’ safety should also follow<br />
the established hierarchy of controls<br />
when making these decisions.<br />
The first step in this hierarchy is to<br />
seek to implement ‘control at source’<br />
measures. This can mean using less<br />
noisy equipment or ensuring that<br />
employees carry out their work away<br />
from loud automated machines, for<br />
instance.<br />
In some cases, this may not be practicable.<br />
In others, such measures may<br />
reduce noise levels, but not enough<br />
to eliminate the need for HPE.<br />
Where HPE is needed, there are<br />
two main things to consider regarding<br />
the selection process. First, the<br />
equipment must provide adequate<br />
protection for the noise hazard<br />
being faced. Second, it must be suitable<br />
for the individual wearer, the<br />
environment and the task at hand.<br />
As with the hierarchy of controls,<br />
these requirements apply to all types<br />
of personal protective equipment<br />
(PPE).<br />
When considering HPE’s adequacy,<br />
it may seem intuitive that the higher<br />
the attenuation, the better. However,<br />
this is not necessarily the case. If the<br />
noise attenuation is too high, the<br />
HPE may stop the wearer from being<br />
able to communicate effectively,<br />
or from hearing alarms and warning<br />
sounds.<br />
Suitability is important because it<br />
makes the wearer more likely to use<br />
their HPE properly. For example, if<br />
ear defenders are too tight, workers<br />
may find them uncomfortable,<br />
making it more likely that they will<br />
frequently remove or adjust them.<br />
This can leave them exposed to<br />
potentially hazardous noise.<br />
To help select suitable HPE, employers<br />
should offer a wide range<br />
of products. Employees should also<br />
be heavily involved in the selection<br />
process. This can involve feedback<br />
sessions, questionnaires, focus<br />
groups and similar means.<br />
Training<br />
The assessment results should<br />
inform employers’ decisions about<br />
which control methods to use,<br />
including which HPE to select, if it<br />
is required.<br />
As with any other workplace hazard,<br />
those responsible for maintaining<br />
workers’ safety should also follow<br />
the established hierarchy of controls<br />
when making these decisions.<br />
The first step in this hierarchy is to<br />
seek to implement ‘control at source’<br />
measures. This can mean using less<br />
noisy equipment or ensuring that<br />
employees carry out their work away<br />
from loud automated machines, for<br />
instance.<br />
Validation<br />
The final step towards protecting<br />
workers’ hearing is validation. This<br />
means ensuring that the HPE works<br />
as well in practice as it does on<br />
paper.<br />
Although manufacturers provide<br />
data for their products’ attenuation<br />
levels, protection will vary between<br />
users, owing largely to their physical<br />
differences and how they wear the<br />
equipment. For example, those with<br />
wider ear canals may receive less<br />
attenuation than others with narrower<br />
ones. Those who insert their<br />
ear plugs incorrectly may also face<br />
greater exposure to hazardous noise.<br />
Fit testing equipment, such as the<br />
E-A-Rfit Dual-Ear Validation<br />
System by 3M, can quantify the<br />
level of protection achieved by each<br />
worker, accounting for all these factors.<br />
To use it, the individual simply<br />
inserts ear plugs that are wired to a<br />
computer or laptop equipped with<br />
easy-to-use software. After responding<br />
to input sounds, the system gives<br />
accurate results within seconds.<br />
By adopting this simple four-step<br />
method, employers can ensure that<br />
they have covered all bases needed<br />
to protect their workers from potential<br />
noise hazards.<br />
For more information about<br />
hearing conservation, or to ask<br />
questions about any other type of<br />
PPE, call the 3M helpline on 0870<br />
608 0060.<br />
News from <strong>Insulate</strong> Network<br />
Energy Efficiency<br />
Awards Success for<br />
Rilmac Insulation<br />
At the <strong>2018</strong> East Midlands Energy<br />
Efficiency Awards Rilmac insulation<br />
were announced winners in the category<br />
of insulation & fabric installer /<br />
Contractor of the year.<br />
Presented with the trophy at the<br />
official awards dinner on Wednesday<br />
night, Rilmac Insulation were worthy<br />
winners for the professionalism<br />
of their installation and the quality<br />
of their insulation work on projects<br />
throughout the year.<br />
28<br />
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www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
<strong>Insulate</strong> Columnist<br />
Just 4% of Private Landlords<br />
aware of new energy efficiency regulations<br />
<strong>Insulate</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> columnist Neil Marshall, Chief Executive of the National Insulation Association<br />
A<br />
recent study from landlord insurance specialist,<br />
Just Landlords, reveals a worrying level<br />
of awareness of the new Minimum Energy<br />
Efficiency Standard (MEES) which came into<br />
effect on 1st April <strong>2018</strong>.<br />
NIA Installer members free of charge through the<br />
installer postcode locator tool on its website www.nia-uk.<br />
org to obtain a survey and quotation. By using an NIA<br />
member, landlords will be safe in the knowledge that the<br />
installer meets stringent criteria and has signed up to<br />
the NIA’s Code of Professional Practice providing added<br />
assurance and recourse.<br />
The NIA believes it’s vital that<br />
landlords have access to the most<br />
trusted and reliable of local specialists,<br />
and hopes that its online service<br />
will enable landlords to meet<br />
their obligations by making their<br />
properties more energy efficient.<br />
Additionally, when asked what changes they could make<br />
to ensure that their property’s EPC rating is improved,<br />
only just over half (52%) know that enhancing the insulation<br />
of a home could have a large impact.<br />
The new regulations in England and Wales now require<br />
private landlord’s with premises that are rated EPC band<br />
F or G to upgrade them to band E by installing insulation<br />
measures before they can renew tenancies or re-let<br />
the properties.<br />
The National Insulation Association (NIA) is providing<br />
assistance to private landlords to help them meet the new<br />
regulations by providing access to NIA installer members<br />
to carry out work.<br />
According to the latest figures<br />
from the Office for National<br />
Statistics (ONS), last year, 64,092<br />
EPCs were rated a grade F or<br />
G – the two lowest ratings. This<br />
indicates that many rental properties<br />
will require improvements in order to comply with<br />
the new energy efficiency laws.<br />
Landlords need to ensure that they are complying with<br />
the new energy efficiency laws, and understand how it<br />
affects them and their tenants.<br />
Landlords looking for help to<br />
compile with MEES should<br />
contact an NIA member via<br />
www.nia-uk.org<br />
or call 08451 636363<br />
The NIA advises that Landlords can contact their local<br />
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
29
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
<strong>Insulate</strong> Columnist<br />
The Challenges of Surveying<br />
Cavity Wall Insulation<br />
Ben Gardiner MRICS, Director of Egerton Surveying Ltd<br />
Chartered building surveyors working in the residential property sector undertake a range of different<br />
instructions and services for clients. Many chartered building surveyors are now working with clients to<br />
provide technical assistance in relation to retro-fit insulation measures. Few insulation measures polarise<br />
opinion as much as cavity wall insulation (CWI). Many people have benefited from improved insulation within<br />
their cavity walls. Whilst others have suffered greatly from penetrating dampness, condensation and mould. Where<br />
damage has allegedly been caused, surveyors such as myself specialising in this field face a problem that is often<br />
complex to evaluate.<br />
As a member of the Royal Institution<br />
of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), I am<br />
governed by professional and ethical<br />
standards in all work I undertake.<br />
I am duty-bound to undertake all<br />
surveys in an unbiased manner regardless<br />
of how the occupant, claims<br />
company, solicitor etc, may wish<br />
to influence proceedings. Specific<br />
CWI surveys and reports form a<br />
large proportion of the instructions I<br />
personally receive. However, for most<br />
residential surveyors carrying RICS<br />
HomeBuyer Surveys (Level 2 survey)<br />
and Building Surveys (Level 3<br />
survey), it is an area in which they<br />
have limited experience. As a consequence,<br />
it can be difficult for CWI<br />
to be adequately assessed and home<br />
buyers properly advised.<br />
A specific CWI survey involves a<br />
thorough whole-building inspection,<br />
similar to a RICS Building Survey.<br />
For example, it requires a similar<br />
amount of time spent at the property,<br />
an in-depth assessment of the building’s<br />
performance and defects and a<br />
carefully crafted report. The difference<br />
is that neither a RICS Building<br />
Survey nor a RICS HomeBuyer<br />
Survey allow for intrusive investigations.<br />
The ability to drill into a<br />
cavity in multiple locations provides a<br />
surveyor with valuable information as<br />
to the performance of the CWI and<br />
condition of the cavity. That being<br />
said, there is a wealth of information<br />
a residential surveyor can collect by<br />
visual means only. When a surveyor<br />
suspects that the performance of the<br />
CWI may be compromised, the<br />
following points should be<br />
considered:<br />
• Exposure to walls to wind driven rain (British Standard 8104:1992, Approved Document Part C of the Building Regulations)<br />
• Drill pattern<br />
• Size and condition of drill holes<br />
• Cavity trays and weep holes<br />
• Blocked or open air vents<br />
• Location of internal dampness, mould and/or condensation<br />
• Type of insulation (i.e. overspill in meter cupboards, roof voids, wall vents)<br />
• Overall wall thickness<br />
• Location and condition of damp proof course<br />
• Internal temperature and relative humidity<br />
30<br />
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www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
Also read in this months insulate:<br />
Educating people of school age about<br />
the buildings they live, work and play<br />
in would be a fine addition to any<br />
curriculum.<br />
Continue Reading:<br />
Page 24<br />
This is not a “do nothing” approach<br />
whilst we await the outcomes of the<br />
Hackitt Review. We need very real<br />
and practical action in the short to<br />
medium term<br />
Continue Reading:<br />
Page 22<br />
By going beyond the call of duty to<br />
construct homes which excel in terms of<br />
thermal performance building, regulations<br />
regarding energy-efficiency have<br />
little relevance<br />
Continue Reading:<br />
Page 36<br />
So, even where a surveyor is unable<br />
to view the cavity and identify any<br />
voids, rubble or other issues, a<br />
judgement can be made on the<br />
performance of the CWI. With<br />
reference to technical documents (e.g.<br />
BBA system certificate), the subsequent<br />
report can direct home buyers<br />
with specific advice. Even where the<br />
is the ‘ECO’ stampede. Installers<br />
rushed to fill as many cavity walls,<br />
as quickly as possible with disregard<br />
for the suitability of properties. The<br />
role of the guarantee agency CIGA<br />
in this and their current approach to<br />
‘CWI claims’ has been discussed at<br />
government level. Indeed, the Cavity<br />
Wall Insulation Victims Alliance<br />
internal ‘making good’ works were<br />
carried out. Unfortunately, whilst<br />
there are many good contractors now<br />
carrying out these extractions, there<br />
are also poor examples, including<br />
those by contractors who prospered<br />
filling the cavities in the first place.<br />
CWI may seem to be performing<br />
without any problems, home buyers<br />
will often request guidance on living<br />
with CWI now and in the future.<br />
Where the surveyor suspects that<br />
CWI has been incorrectly installed,<br />
intrusive investigations will then<br />
need to be carried out to establish a<br />
clear cause. It is always surprising as<br />
to what is present within a cavity, or<br />
more likely, what is not there. One<br />
of the main causes of failed CWI in<br />
residential properties in recent years<br />
(CIVALLI) continue to campaign<br />
against poor CWI installations and<br />
support those people affected.<br />
Finally, residential surveyors are now<br />
also being faced with properties that<br />
have now had CWI extracted. A considerable<br />
amount of disruption can<br />
often be found to external walls and<br />
a surveyor will need to make specific<br />
enquiries in relation to the removal<br />
of any CWI. This should include<br />
whether the extraction was independently<br />
verified and what, if any,<br />
Even where the CWI may seem to<br />
be performing without any<br />
problems, home buyers will often<br />
request guidance on living with<br />
CWI now and in the future.<br />
www.egertonsurveying.co.uk<br />
ben@egertonsurveying.co.uk<br />
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
31
A site for<br />
sore eyes<br />
Looking at the advantages of BBA Certification<br />
As you well know, major construction work on building sites<br />
involves a huge amount of product and materials checking, not<br />
least to make sure everything meets the exacting requirements<br />
of building regulations. This can be stressful at the best of times<br />
and a helping hand is always welcome.<br />
That’s why more and more people are coming to the BBA for<br />
off-site certification of their products. For many years now, our<br />
work in the offsite construction sector has brought peace of mind<br />
to hundreds of architects and manufacturers alike.<br />
BBA Agrément Certificates are widely read and respected by<br />
industry decision-makers who want to select innovative products<br />
that have been thoroughly assessed by the BBA. Our assessors<br />
have decades of experience in evaluating Offsite Construction,<br />
and we are currently assessing many new systems, adding to the<br />
many already approved including insulated concrete formwork,<br />
SIPs and framed systems.<br />
Of course, our main focus is on the requirements of Building<br />
Regulations — not just in England and Wales, but also in Scotland<br />
and Northern Ireland. But we go much further than that. We<br />
want to ensure that a system is not only waterproof, warm and<br />
structurally sound; it has to be durable, too. No-one wants to buy<br />
a system with a short life expectancy, so we seek to ensure that it<br />
will last for an appropriate period of time.<br />
Neither are our assessments simply desk exercises. As well as<br />
testing, we go out to the factory to check system documentation<br />
and control, making sure that the specification we approve is<br />
capable of being produced consistently.<br />
We also go out on site to see units being offloaded and installed.<br />
That’s because we know that what may seem simple when<br />
explained in a dry office or factory can turn out to be very<br />
different on a building site.<br />
Once we have gathered data from testing, factory inspections<br />
and site surveillance, we consider how we can use it to establish<br />
that the requirements of Building Regulations and other statutory<br />
or non-statutory documents have been met.<br />
BBA Agrément Certificates are regarded as quite simply the best<br />
assurances you can get for your off-site products. With BBA’s 50<br />
years of unrivalled expertise in building and construction<br />
certification, it’s easy to see why.<br />
clientservices@bba.star.co.uk<br />
www.bbacerts.co.uk<br />
01923 665300
The only independent insulation industry trade magazine<br />
<strong>Insulate</strong> News<br />
Vilvalda Cuts Recycling<br />
Costs By Three Quarters<br />
V<br />
ivalda, the UK’s leading distributor of architectural cladding, has demonstrated the value that recycling can<br />
bring to manufacturers following a year-long pilot scheme at its Hull facility. Having embraced a new environmental<br />
policy in early 2017, the business’s north east operation has reduced its annual waste bills by more<br />
than £10,000 or 75 per cent.<br />
Concerned about the increasing cost<br />
of landfill charges and the volume of<br />
waste it was producing, the business<br />
was keen to explore ways it could<br />
divert its four main waste streams –<br />
plastic, panel board, insulation and<br />
metal – away from landfill.<br />
Liam Pickup is the driving force<br />
behind the initiative, which has<br />
completely changed the way Vivalda’s<br />
Hull site manages its waste. He<br />
explained:<br />
“Until January 2017, we simply threw<br />
all of our plastic wrapping, off-cuts of<br />
cladding and insulation into skips. It<br />
was a huge waste that was costing us<br />
around £1,400 per month in collection<br />
and landfill charges. And those costs were<br />
going to getting bigger, not smaller.”<br />
Having installed a bailing machine,<br />
courtesy of a local equipment<br />
provider, Vivalda Hull now has its<br />
plastic waste collected and recycled<br />
fee of charge. Similarly, off-cuts of<br />
insulation panels are now delivered to<br />
local building firms, who can use it as<br />
additional material for projects. Panel<br />
board off-cuts, which are generally<br />
made from glass reinforced concrete<br />
can be used as a valuable resource.<br />
Finally, Vivalda has installed an<br />
aluminium extraction unit, that turns<br />
waste metal into a valuable commodity<br />
that goes back into the manufacturing<br />
life cycle.”<br />
Commenting on the success of the<br />
pilot, Liam Pickup said:<br />
“We have had a lot of support and<br />
interest from the staff as well as local<br />
companies that are interested in using<br />
the materials that we previously threw<br />
away. In terms of capital cost, the only<br />
kit we’ve needed to acquire is the plastic<br />
bailer and the aluminium extractor.”<br />
Encouraged by the benefits of the<br />
recycling scheme, Vivalda is now<br />
looking to roll out a green policy<br />
across all of its eight UK facilities,<br />
hoping to reach out to local partners<br />
in the same way that has proved so<br />
successful in the North East.<br />
Liam Pickup concluded:<br />
“It’s been amazing what we’ve been<br />
able to achieve with just a little bit of<br />
planning and investment. To really<br />
make recycling work, we’re realised<br />
that it’s about good communication and<br />
educating both staff, suppliers and local<br />
businesses about the potential value that<br />
is hidden within waste materials.”<br />
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
33
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
<strong>Insulate</strong> Columnist<br />
Can the New Eco3 Scheme<br />
Deliver on its promises?<br />
Simon Storer, Chief Executive of Insulation Manufacturers Association (IMA)<br />
It seems that barely a week goes by without a consultation coming out of Westminster and this month has been no<br />
different. One of these has been the publication of the Government’s plans for the third round of funding under<br />
the Energy Company Obligation - informally known as ECO3.<br />
The ECO scheme initially began in 2013 and since then has delivered around two million energy<br />
efficiency measures. The current phase is due to end in September this year with ECO3 taking its<br />
place and running until 2022.<br />
So What’s New? Some of the Key Changes are:<br />
• Socussing entirely on low income and vulnerable households<br />
• Supporting low income vulnerable households not in receipt of means tested benefits<br />
• Focussing on first time central heating installations and removing funding for oil-fuelled systems<br />
• Ensuring that 15% of the delivery measures are to rural areas<br />
• The desire to introduce new and innovative energy saving measures<br />
It would be hard to argue against any<br />
of these changes; they are aspirational<br />
in trying to bring people out of fuel<br />
poverty and to provide a more<br />
comfortable and healthier environment<br />
for dwelling occupants.<br />
However, the key to success will be<br />
in taking a holistic approach to the<br />
energy efficiency of each building,<br />
installing more than one measure<br />
where appropriate and being able<br />
to offer installations by competent<br />
tradespeople backed up with<br />
guarantees. This is why the link to<br />
the Each Home Counts initiative is<br />
so important in order to ensure that<br />
precious resources are not wasted on<br />
shoddy installations resulting in poor<br />
performing homes which later need<br />
to be corrected. It is also important<br />
not to lose sight of the consumer in<br />
all of this. Multiple measures could<br />
mean multiple interruptions for<br />
surveys and installations, different<br />
people in and out of their homes<br />
which many may not be comfortable<br />
with. This all needs to be carefully<br />
managed and balanced and ways<br />
sought to minimise disruption whilst<br />
optimising the benefits.<br />
Of course, we need to ensure that<br />
one of the key opportunities isn’t<br />
missed and that is to ensure that the<br />
fabric of the building is as thermally<br />
efficient as it can be before installing<br />
other measures. So proposals, such<br />
as one to ensure insulation measures<br />
are installed when replacing broken<br />
heating systems seem very sensible.<br />
However, it is disappointing to see a<br />
proposed reduction in the number of<br />
solid wall insulation (SWI) installations<br />
of c4,000 per year, purely based<br />
on cost factors. Surely it’s better<br />
to ensure that more homes are well<br />
insulated rather than trading off on<br />
other measures?<br />
34<br />
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News Recap<br />
KNAUF Insulation<br />
strengthens marketing<br />
team with new product<br />
manager<br />
Knauf Insulation has appointed a new<br />
product manager to lead the<br />
development of its Rock Mineral<br />
Wool range.<br />
Luke Davies joins from architectural<br />
aluminium manufacturer Kawneer and<br />
brings extensive product marketing<br />
experience in sectors including<br />
construction, retail and technology.<br />
But I do wonder if the scheme will become so<br />
bureaucratically difficult to navigate that social<br />
housing providers start to turn their backs on<br />
it because of its complexity and simply do their<br />
because they don’t have the resource to administer<br />
it? That would be a real shame.<br />
There are many good and credible targets in this<br />
consultation but does the initiative really have the<br />
teeth to deliver all that it promises? Let’s hope so.<br />
You can find the consultation here.<br />
For more information about the Insulation<br />
Manufacturers<br />
Association please visit:<br />
www.insulationmanufacturers.org.uk<br />
Read the full article at : www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
Research links insulation to<br />
natural light levels<br />
A new whitepaper from Kingspan Insulation has revealed that<br />
insulation specification can have a significant impact of daylight<br />
levels within a building.<br />
The Daylighting White Paper features<br />
research from respected independent<br />
consultants, Peutz BV, assessing differences<br />
in the average daylighting factor<br />
(ADF) of a room when Kingspan<br />
Kooltherm K15 Rainscreen Board is<br />
used within the external façade compared<br />
with mineral fibre insulation<br />
Read the full article at :<br />
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
More from IMA:<br />
For more compelling articles from Simon<br />
Storer why not read the following online now:<br />
• Climate Change and Our<br />
Carbon Footprint<br />
• Healthier Happier Homes<br />
for Occupants<br />
• Construction Industry Must Improve<br />
and Respond to Challenges<br />
Turnover builds with 50% growth at £27m online<br />
construction materials firm<br />
Construction Materials Online (CMO), the rapidly expanding<br />
online retailer of building materials, has seen record growth,<br />
achieving revenues of £27m in the year to 31 December 2017, an<br />
increase of almost 50% since the previous year (2016: £18m) as<br />
e-commerce continues to win business in the sector from traditional<br />
builders merchants and physical stores.<br />
Read the full article at :<br />
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
For all the latest insulation news and<br />
insight visit our website:<br />
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
35
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
<strong>Insulate</strong> News<br />
Sound Method<br />
of Sustainable Construction<br />
Sustainable, energy-efficient homes aren’t built on a whim, writes Ben Warren, Managing Director at global<br />
building materials manufacturer, Baumit UK. It requires intense planning and immense deliberation over<br />
every aspect of design and decoration to create a property which maximises occupant comfort without leaving<br />
an environmentally-damaging carbon footprint.<br />
It takes a sustainable mind-set to<br />
construct a sustainable home. A<br />
self-builder, for instance, should<br />
begin a project intent on creating a<br />
property that will be theirs to reside<br />
in for the rest of their lives. This<br />
attitude of domestic permanence is<br />
more prevalent in Europe than the<br />
UK. In Austria, where Baumit has<br />
its HQ, the sustainable mentality is<br />
ingrained in the culture – from the<br />
food they eat, to the properties they<br />
build.<br />
Many Austrian restaurants will<br />
not source food outside a 15-mile<br />
radius, whilst builders on average<br />
construct houses to a 0.2 W/m²<br />
U-value, a higher tightness level<br />
than the country’s 0.4 W/m²<br />
U-value regulation for new homes.<br />
Their housebuilders’ general view<br />
seems to be: ‘I’ll build my property<br />
with the right materials and employ<br />
the correct methods in order to<br />
minimise energy consumption’.<br />
By going beyond the call of duty<br />
to construct homes which excel<br />
in terms of thermal performance,<br />
building regulations regarding<br />
energy-efficiency have little<br />
relevance to the Austrian<br />
self-builder - they view<br />
sustainability as a matter of course.<br />
Austrain Example<br />
Having discussed the mentality, the<br />
question is: which materials make<br />
for a successful sustainable build? A<br />
timber-frame shell offers an established,<br />
quick and reasonably energy-efficient<br />
solution, but if we are to<br />
pursue the Austrian model and construct<br />
homes which exceed thermal<br />
regulations, alternative technology<br />
is worth considering. Porotherm,<br />
a clay block walling system, is a<br />
popular infrastructure choice in<br />
homes across<br />
Europe. It’s<br />
lightweight in<br />
construction<br />
and extremely<br />
thermally<br />
efficient.<br />
Porotherm<br />
only requires<br />
one course of<br />
bricks, rather<br />
than the two<br />
used in cavity wall construction -<br />
the favoured building method in<br />
about 90% of largescale building<br />
developments in the UK.<br />
A combination of high-spec<br />
external wall insulation and<br />
Porothem can produce a spectacular<br />
thermal envelope. At a development<br />
in Norwich, Baumit’s<br />
OpenSystem - a thermally-superior<br />
EWI solution which uses unique<br />
open-air technology to allow walls<br />
to breathe - was used in conjunction<br />
with Porotherm to achieve Passive<br />
House performance: 0.15 W/m²,<br />
in all 14 homes. Thermal efficiency<br />
doesn’t guarantee a home’s<br />
comfort and wellbeing, however.<br />
(EPS) system to clay block walling<br />
may well result in good levels of<br />
airtightness, but limits the<br />
breathability of the system<br />
By going beyond the call of duty to<br />
construct homes which excel in terms of<br />
thermal performance, building<br />
regulations regarding energy-efficiency<br />
have little relevance to the Austrian<br />
self-builder - they view sustainability<br />
as a matter of course.<br />
restricting the thermal comfort of<br />
the property. The same can be said<br />
when an acrylic top coat is applied<br />
to an otherwise breathable system.<br />
To prevent such occurrences, the<br />
construction of the wall from the<br />
inside-out needs to be considered.<br />
36<br />
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www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
Also read in this months insulate:<br />
Educating people of school age about<br />
the buildings they live, work and play<br />
in would be a fine addition to any<br />
curriculum.<br />
Continue Reading:<br />
Page 24<br />
This is not a “do nothing” approach<br />
whilst we await the outcomes of the<br />
Hackitt Review. We need very real<br />
and practical action in the short to<br />
medium term<br />
Continue Reading:<br />
Page 22<br />
Many people have benefited from<br />
improved insulation within their<br />
cavity walls. Whilst others have<br />
suffered greatly from penetrating<br />
dampness, condensation and mould.<br />
Continue Reading:<br />
Page 30<br />
OpenSystem’s perforations and the application of a breathable<br />
topcoat such as Nanapor, a mineralic and highly vapour-permeable<br />
technology found in Baumit paints and renders, offers<br />
free movement of water vapour through the wall and exits<br />
through the whole system.<br />
Good Sense<br />
‘Multi-comfort’ is a phrase currently applied to sustainable<br />
building which suggests sensory aspects such as sound, touch,<br />
light and colour are all important factors in increasing levels<br />
of wellbeing as well as thermal efficiency inside homes. In<br />
terms of paint, colour as well as consistency is important. As<br />
with oil paints, acrylic coverings can contain VOCs which<br />
emit a noxious vapour and strong odour that can lead to headaches<br />
and nausea for a building’s occupants. Baumit produces<br />
a number of mineral-based paint products that are kinder<br />
to the environment and the senses of those living within the<br />
walls to which it is applied.<br />
Embarking on a sustainable build requires a massive investment,<br />
and not just in monetary terms. Every detail, however<br />
small, should be pored over as if it were the most important:<br />
time should not be spared on any aspect of the project.<br />
Among the more lateral questions to consider at a building’s<br />
design stage might be: where does the sun rise and set? This<br />
will determine the amount of thermal gain through glass and<br />
help regulate comfort levels in a conservatory, for example,<br />
which can be unbearably hot in summer if the style or size of<br />
panes is left to chance. It’s a reminder that a home’s yearround<br />
interior comfort not only depends on its resistance to<br />
cold in winter; its ability to deflect heat in summer is just as<br />
important, particularly with climate change’s warming effect<br />
so reflective in current, global temperatures.<br />
Finally, once plans are drawn-up and approved and a programme<br />
of building works has been agreed, there’s only one<br />
thing a sustainable self-builder has in mind - get on with the<br />
job and get it done. Having highlighted the thermal benefits<br />
of Baumit’s OpenSystem when combined with a Porotherm<br />
clay block walling, aside from the comfort and wellbeing it<br />
creates, it’s also a rapid-build alternative to cavity wall construction<br />
methods. With only one course of bricks required<br />
and the EWI in place, work can begin on a building’s interior,<br />
which ultimately leads to reduced on-site working times and<br />
energy consumption. It’s a process that guarantees a project’s<br />
sustainability from beginning to end.<br />
News from <strong>Insulate</strong> Network<br />
Advanced Insulation<br />
Receives Innovation Award<br />
Advanced Insulation obtained the ‘innovation’ award for the third<br />
time in five years, reaching a milestone of five Queen’s Award. ContraFlame<br />
MS400 for underdeck of an oil platform system was the<br />
system recognised for Advanced Insulation’s success.<br />
Read the full article at : www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
For all the latest insulation news and<br />
insight visit our website:<br />
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
www.insulatenetwork.com<br />
37
Next Month...<br />
Women in Insulation<br />
We get exclusive insight into the Insulation industry from Elaine Gardner<br />
at SIP Build, Gemma Harris at Actis, Louise Foody at Kingspan,<br />
Mel Price at IMA, Susanna Tykkä-Vedder at Paroc and more...<br />
Don’t miss the June issue of <strong>Insulate</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
The only independent insulation industry trade magazine<br />
Content Partners<br />
National Insulation Association (NIA)<br />
The NIA represents the insulation industry in the UK and our members include manufacturers and<br />
installers of a number of insulation solutions for your home or business. Both the NIA and its members are<br />
fully committed to maintaining and raising standards within the insulation industry.<br />
Contact Name: Neil Marshall Email: neil.marshall@nia-uk.org Website: http://www.nia-uk.org/ Social:<br />
@NIALtd<br />
Mineral Wool Insulation Manufacturers Association (MIMA)<br />
Established in 1962 (originally as ‘Eurisol’), the Mineral Wool Insulation Manufacturers<br />
Association (MIMA) provides an authoritative source of independent information and advice<br />
on glass and stone wool. MIMA actively promotes the benefits of mineral wool insulation and<br />
the contribution it makes to the energy efficiency of buildings and the comfort and wellbeing of<br />
their occupants.<br />
Contact Name: Sarah Kostense-Winterton Email: sarah@mima.info Website: www.mima.info/ Social:<br />
@MIMA_UK<br />
Insulation Manufacturers Association (IMA)<br />
Insulation Manufacturers Association (IMA) is the representative body for the PIR and PUR<br />
insulation industry in the UK. Known for 40 years as BRUFMA, IMA will continue to speak out<br />
on behalf of its members and seek to ensure it is the principal point of contact for all audiences<br />
relevant to the sector.<br />
Contact Name: Mel Price Email: mel.price@insulationmanufacturers.org.uk<br />
Website: www.insulationmanufacturers.org.uk Social: @IMA_Org<br />
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