Insulate Magazine Issue 9

New Chapter 

For Miller Pattison 

The only independent 

insulation industry 

trade magazine 

Issue 9 /August 2017 

Inside this months issue 

New Chapter for 

Miller Pattison 

Tougher Testing 

The Modern Trade Association 

Smart Buildings & Fabric First

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CIRCULATION 

The magazine is sent to 17,000 digitial subscribers per month 

Contents 

A New Chapter for Miller Pattison 

The Modern Trade Association 10-12 

Engaging your Workforce 3M 

6-8 

16-18 

Tougher Testing BBA 20-21 

Government & Innovation - Actis 22-23 

Expertise - Darren Evans 24-25 

Rainscreen vs Insulated - EPIC 30-31 

Smart Buildings & Fabric First 33-35 

Insulation Expo 2018 36-37 

Featured CPD's 39 

©VERSANTA LTD 

No part can be reproduced without the express 

permission of the publisher 

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The UK's only dedicated 

trade journal for the insulation industry 

3

It’s been another turbulent month for the insulation industry 

in the wake of the Grenfell tower tragedy, with the results of 

the BS 8414 testing starting to be released just as we go 

to press. So far, all samples of ACM cladding that have been 

tested have reaffirmed the failure of the earlier tested samples, 

the government has issued advice to the owners of the 111 

buildings known to have this type of ACM cladding to ensure 

the safety of residents. 

Colin Heath 

Managing Editor 

Team 

Jamie Street 

Creative 

The government has also announced an independent review of 

building regulations and fire safety, something that I remember 

from four years ago in the wake of the Lakanal house fire, it is 

clearly long overdue. Chemical engineer Judith Hackitt will lead 

the review and will of course consult with the industry, fire safety 

experts and the Building Regulations Advisory Committee. 

Issue nine of Insulate magazine is here, great articles from our 

friends at Darren Evans Assessments Ltd and the BBA feature 

among my favourites this month! There is under a month for 

you to enter the highly sought after National Insulation Awards, 

don’t miss out! 

Enjoy 

4 

www.insulatenetwork.com

The only independent insulation industry trade magazine 

Cover Story 

New Chapter 

For Miller Pattison 

Managing Editor of Insulate Magazine Colin Heath Speaks to newly appointed Managing Director Alex Mcleod 

Alex, congratulations on the new role, could you describe 

Miller Pattison as a company for us? 

Miller Pattison is the UK’s leading specialist insulation 

service provider. Our 10 branches provide 

national coverage to our customers across the 

country. The company has built a tremendous 

reputation for quality and service which I will be 

building on in coming months. 

Under my predecessor, Mike Dyson’s, leadership, 

the team have achieved a huge 

transformation. The company has moved 

from being heavily involved with Government 

schemes, such as ECO and Green Deal, to 

having a much stronger focus on the new build 

market. We’re working predominantly in housing 

and more recently have been growing in a wide 

range of commercial contractor markets. 

Quite a transformation in in terms of organisational 

operations then? 

The staff and the whole organisation deserve 

a huge amount of credit for the transformation 

they’ve made to the business over the last couple 

of years. It’s changed dramatically in a short 

space of time and we’re now much more efficient. 

“Leaner” may be the best way of putting it. 

After a spell away from insulation, 

what drew you back? 

What attracted me to Miller Pattison is that the 

business has a great history, having been around 

for more than 50 years and a very strong brand 

that really speaks for itself. 

Miller Pattison has a 150 strong workforce and 

a very experienced management team. It’s a national 

business, which is important for creating a 

service platform, and its principal investor, Northedge 

Capital, is very supportive. 

Mike Dyson, my predecessor, has done a phenomenal 

job. He’s built a real platform for growth 

and there is a great scope to develop this company. 

We’re now very well placed to capitalise 

on growing construction markets, which I’m also 

really excited about. 

6 


So, there is still work to do in both regulatory and 

policy areas? 

New build markets have certainly been influenced by 

regulation and its standards have increased quite significantly, 

which I guess is your point. Not just thermal 

but also acoustic requirements have changed, which 

not only benefits the industry, but the homeowners, 

who have better homes to live in. 

Going back to the Government - if there is one challenge 

to think about, it is that through the schemes 

like subsidised insulation, I think the value of the 

product has reduced in consumers’ eyes - so it’s either 

“I’ll only do it if there is a grant attached” or “I’ll 

only do it if it’s free”. The Government schemes have 

been so important to the industry for such a long period 

of time. The challenge now for the sector to face 

is in recreating that value in consumers’ minds for 

products and solutions that do so much to improve 

the quality and comfort of their homes. 

How do you see us evolving 

in the next ten years? 

One thing we can absolutely guarantee is that when 

we try and predict what happens, it won’t happen as 

fast as we think. 

I think there’ll be issues with accessing qualified 

workforce and dealing with a lack of skills in construction 

will be a challenge and is already something 

that needs to be thought about. But technological 

developments may address some of these issues. 

No doubt the range of insulation materials will increase 

still further and we are watching with interest 

developments in off-site manufacturing, which UK 

Government is supportive of to address the housing 

shortage. 

7


At Miller Pattison, we will be investing in our people 

to help them support customers’ choices, which 

may well result in a widening of the products and 

services we offer in future. 

So, what about Brexit and its impact? 

As we are currently heavily focused on the housing 

market, irrespective of Brexit, it is being supported 

by the Government through Help to Buy 

and a range of other schemes and policies, which 

is good for Miller Pattison. However, demand 

for housing is clearly going to be linked to how 

people think of the economy, so I believe the jury 

is still out on what impact Brexit will have on the 

economy and therefore the sentiment about making 

large purchases. 

There certainly is a lot of volatility in views about 

what will happen over the next few years and the 

impact of Brexit on the economy is something 

that experts seem to be struggling to evaluate at 

this stage as well. 

I do wonder what impact Brexit will have on future 

investment in the industry if you throw in the fact 

that so much of the insulation manufacturing industry 

is in foreign ownership. Hopefully we won’t 

see a prolonged period of uncertainty, which might 

influence decisions made in boardrooms across 

Europe and beyond. 

The other thing that has an immediate impact is the 

exchange rate, which has collapsed post-Brexit 

and is bound to influence imported materials. This 

will inevitably influence builders’ choices as different 

products are impacted in different ways by the 

exchange rate. 

And Miller Pattison in the future? 

Immediate plans for Miller Pattison are to carry 

on the good work Mike Dyson started. There is 

a platform for growth, and I’m hugely impressed 

with what he and the management team have 

done so far. The focus for us is quality, service, 

and efficiency and we’ve made huge strides on 

these already. 

Our paperless approach has enabled us to become 

more efficient in the last year and I would 

expect our service to be one of the best in the 

industry. We are currently undertaking a customer 

service survey and the initial results have been 

very positive. It’s exciting to be able to gather the 

data about the quality of our work and then relay 

it back to our customers, which we will be doing 

shortly. 

As for our future - you’ll have to watch this space! 

There are a lot of opportunities for the business 

and we have no shortage of ideas, which is another 

reason why I am so genuinely excited to join 

Miller Pattison. So, please, come back and see us 

again to see how we progress and what our next 

steps are going to be. 

Immediate plans for Miller Pattison 

are to carry on the good work Mike 

Dyson started. There is a 

platform for growth and I am 

hugely impressed with what he 

and the management team have 

done so far. 

8 


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Insulate debate 

The Modern Trade Association: 

No old boys clubs here please 

Written by Insulate Network’s Managing Editor Colin Heath 

If you’re a small business owner or a director of a major multinational, you could 

be forgiven for not wanting to add another event to your calendar, so what would 

the benefits of adding a time-consuming trade organisation to your working 

week. In this series of articles, we hope to uncover the reason for Trade Associations, 

who their members are, who runs them and the benefits (if any) of what they do. 

Part One 

Membership in an Industry Association offers 

numerous benefits (according to the various 

Industry Associations we spoke to), their offering 

will keep you abreast of important, ever-changing 

issues, trends and legislation within the marketplace. 

You are provided with a shiny logo to use 

on your businesses website to promote your 

membership to prospective customers, there are 

events to attend for networking along with an 

Annual Conference and AGM. 

Most of the larger insulation multinationals are 

members of multiple trade bodies dependant on 

their different product ranges. 

TICA 

Benefits of membership vary by organisation, for 

example, as a member of TICA 

(Thermal Insulation Contractors Association), 

contractors have access to all-inclusive member 

resources and tools through their website, as 

well as full access to dispensations through the 

Thermal Insulation Contracting Industry (TICI) 

Collective Working Agreement. TICA members 

benefit from a wide variety of support ranging 

from access to a top 500 HR Consultant through 

to recruitment and training of apprentices. 

TICA has been at the forefront of the 

Governments Apprenticeship Trailblazer process. 

This involved in- depth consultation with their 

members in order to focus on what skills the 

employers really needed in today’s modern 

market, and not therefore just producing 

insulation skills in an operative that are expensive 

and in many cases unnecessary for the modern-day 

contractor. modern Trade Association 

works at its best in partnership with its members 

to modernise the 

10 www.insulatenetwork.com

sector in a way that neither party could 

achieve on their own. The result is a two-tiered 

approach to thermal insulation, accepting that 

not all employers will need fabrication skills 

in all of their operatives. The new Standards 

will offer a choice between a Level 2 Thermal 

Operative who is skilled to fit insulation and 

pre-fabricated cladding, and a Level 3 Advanced 

Craft Technician, who is skilled in pattern 

development and metal fabrication. These 

developments need the input of members 

to facilitate the Trade Associations work to 

achieve the correct end result to take forward 

the sector skills for the future. It shows how a 

modern Trade Association works at its best - 

in partnership with its members to modernise 

the sector in a way that neither party could 

achieve on their own. 

BRUFMA 

Whereas the British Rigid Urethane Manufacturers 

Association (BRUFMA) provides a 

platform for it’s members to inform, engage 

and influence key stakeholders about all issues 

relating to PIR/PUR insulation in the UK and 

Ireland. 

By acting as a single voice for the industry 

BRUFMA has created a positive and dynamic 

business environment in which to promote the 

benefits of PIR/PUR, including the development 

of appropriate product and application 

standards. 

BRUFMA has achieved enormous credibility 

with many Government and non-Governmental 

organisations who are involved in the 

legislative areas affecting the production and 

use of PIR/PUR insulation products and it can 

provide independent and balanced information 

insulatenetwork 11


and education on the industry and its products. 

It also works to develop the industry and its markets 

through collaborative research and 

educational projects spanning stakeholders 

across Europe. 

Speaking on membership BRUFMA CEO, 

Simon Storer told us; 

“We now have within our membership all the 

manufacturers of PIR/PUR in the UK and Ireland 

as well as suppliers of the various raw materials 

and associated services. This means that 

BRUFMA really can speak for the industry on all 

issues, including technical developments and 

policy direction” 

“Our aim is to continue to increase our access 

and influence to a range of target audiences, so 

they have better knowledge about the benefits of 

the products and have an informed view, which 

has not always been the case in the past. We 

are also the main point of contact for information 

about the sector” 

“Importantly, BRUFMA acts as a conduit of information 

both for and on behalf of the industry; a 

collective view outward to stakeholders from the 

industry; and a source of information inwards that 

we can disseminate across our membership. In 

this way, we are sure to keep the industry up to 

speed with key developments and ensure we 

have a seat at the table and can participate in all 

issue that are of key importance and relevance” 

apply such as one-time application fees. Some 

Associations offer reduced rates for student 

members, for example. Furthermore, some 

Associations demand that you meet preliminary 

requirements to become a member. 

The inner workings of each organisation within 

the Insulation sector are reserved for members 

and delegates of the AGM however Insulate 

Magazine has learned that some associations will 

also charge you further for the privilege of attending 

this event. 

Membership in Trade Associations not only 

benefits you and the employees of your company, 

but it also projects a positive image of 

your company to your customers. Membership 

in Associations shows a business’ initiative, its 

engagement in a particular policy or regulation 

and its commitment to staying abreast of current 

developments in the marketplace. 

Coming in Part 2 

Next month we will talk to members of 

these organisations, get their thoughts on 

the work that is undertaken to promote 

the insulation industry and their individual 

companies, by these elected and employed 

“voices” of the industry. 

Join the “Insulate Debate” on this 

or any other article at 


Memberships 

Annual fees for membership also vary, the memberships 

numbers of each organisation clearly 

show that the benefits outweigh the costs, rates 

may vary depending on what type of 

membership you’re interested in. Other fees may 

With thanks to: 

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12 

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Health & Safety 

Engaging your workforce 

for a safe environment 

Insulate Magazine columnist George Elliott, a technical specialist at science-based technology 3M, 

explains the need for engaging with employees about health and safety issues, and offers advice about how to do this 

Health and safety could hardly be a more important topic for those working in the insulation 

industry, as it affects their very wellbeing. Yet engaging workers on this subject 

can sometimes be difficult. Some may perceive safety requirements to be a chore or an 

obstacle to their work, while others may have fooled themselves into believing that accidents 

only ever happen to others. Nevertheless, employers have a duty to ensure that employees 

understand the risks in their workplace, and the procedures they must comply with in order 

to protect themselves and their colleagues. As a company dedicated to increasing workplace 

safety, 3M is always keen to offer advice to help with this. 

Workers' Choice 

One way of engaging workers is to involve them 

in the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) 

selection process – something 3M promotes 

through its Workers’ Choice campaign. 

Not only do workers appreciate being listened 

to, but their feedback can be a great help to 

employers and health and safety managers when 

trying to choose from a wide range of equipment 

options. 

Those who will be wearing the PPE day-to-day 

will be best able to assess a particular product’s 

comfort level, as well as its other pros and cons. 

Such considerations are paramount, because all 

PPE must be suitable for the individual wearer 

and the environment, as well as being adequate 

to protect against the hazard, or hazards, in your 

workplace. 

When PPE is suitable, employees are more likely 

to accept it. When it isn’t – when workers find it 

uncomfortable, for example – they are more likely 

to wear it incorrectly or remove it entirely. 

For example, individuals may place their 

safety eyewear on their heads if they find it too 

tight, or unzip their coveralls if the material is not 

breathable enough, leaving them potentially 

exposed to hazards 

16 


Communicating your messages 

When it comes to communicating your 

messages, it is important to recognise that 

there are three main learning styles – visual, 

audio and kinaesthetic. 

Visual learners respond best to information 

they can see, such as images, charts, videos 

and demonstrations. YouTube can be a rich resource 

for health and safety information. However, 

employers should ensure that the source 

is reputable and the material complies with regulations 

in their geographical location. 

Audio learners most easily absorb 

information they hear, whether from live 

talks, online webinars, podcasts or video 

soundtracks. Copyright-free material can often 

be found online. Again, employers should satisfy 

themselves that any material given to employees is 

appropriate. Kinaesthetic learners prefer to 

learn by doing. This can involve hands-on 

practical demonstrations. 

For most people, the most effective approach 

is to present information using a mixture of 

these methods. Whichever approach you take, 

always remember to focus on one key issue at 

a time, as too much information at once can 

confuse the audience. Also, don’t be afraid to 

repeat your message. The more employees 

hear it, the more likely they are to retain it. 

When PPE is suitable, 

employees are more likely to 

accept it. When it isn’t – when 

workers find it uncomfortable, for 

example – they are more likely to 

wear it incorrectly or remove it 

entirely. 

17


Training 

Regular training is also a crucial part of any effective 

communications strategy, as it helps to keep 

health and safety at the front of employees’ minds. 

Whether working with a new recruit for the first 

time or going over old ground with a long-standing 

member of the team, training will reinforce the 

importance of what they are doing. 

Training should cover the hazards present, the 

control measures required and how to implement 

them, including when, where, why and how to 

wear PPE. 

Discussion and debate about health and safety 

topics should also be encouraged in the workplace 

generally, not just in training sessions. This 

is something 3M’s SafeTea Break campaign aims 

to help with. 

Health and safety managers can request a Safe- 

Tea Break toolkit from 3M, with the prepared toolbox 

talks, designed to spark debate at work by 

filling out a form on the company’s website. This 

can ultimately help employers to create a useful 

health and safety action plan, while also fostering 

an inclusive safety culture in the workplace. 

By using these tips, employers and health and safety managers will 

be able to engage better with workers about health and safety issues, 

helping to create a safer work environment. 

For more information on any of these topics, or for general information 

about health and safety in the workplace, call the 3M helpline on 0870 

608 0060. For more information about 3M, visit www.3M.co.uk/safety 

18

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Knowledge 

The bigger the noise your 

innovation makes in the industry 

the tougher the testing needs to be 

The BBA gives firm advice on why the testing of building products 

can never be a case of hit or miss. 

The record charts used to be called the BBC 

hit parade. And a hit was a successful tune 

or song. There was even a quiz panel TV 

programme called ‘Juke Box Jury’ where celebrities 

predicted new songs to be hits or misses. 

Since those days, a number of other charts have 

cropped up in other areas; top ten TV personalities 

of the year, top five films, top five holiday destinations 

etc. 

Introducing the BBAs 

Top 5 Reasons Why Products Fail 

Far from being a concept born of idle curiosity, it is 

intended to be helpful and informative to manufacturers 

wishing to avoid common pitfalls when commissioning 

often costly testing and assessment 

procedures to obtain BBA Agrément Certificates. 

In the world of building and construction, it is 

unlikely that anyone has come up with popularity 

charts for products and systems. It might be a fun 

exercise for people operating within the industry, 

but most of us are too busy to be speculating in 

areas of pure interest. It could be said that it simply 

wouldn’t be particularly productive to get side 

tracked with popularity charts for the purposes of 

amusement. 

However, there is an exception to that notion. The 

BBA have introduced a top five chart with a difference. 

Our Test Services team have put together 

the following: 

So for your entertainment, 

as well as the benefit of 

innovators everywhere, 

here are the top five in the 

current BBA Miss Parade > 

20 



Straight in at N O 1 : Incorrect installation 

If a product is being built or assembled onsite 

for testing, we are required to observe this without 

interference. If the installation is performed 

incorrectly and not to standard, we clearly 

cannot perform the necessary assessments. 

Similarly, some products are delivered incorrectly 

assembled. For example, where we are 

assessing an exposed surface condition, that 

surface needs to be free from extraneous materials. 

Some items have been tampered with to 

such an extent that external substances cannot 

be removed without damage to the product 

surface. 

N O 2: Inadequate Product Spec 

Sometimes the product does not meet the 

specification requirements of the standard. 

For example, samples submitted for thermal 

conductivity tests are required to be smooth 

and flat with parallel surfaces to enable good 

contact between the specimen and the plates 

of the Heat Flow Meter. They also need to be of 

certain dimensions to allow testing using specially 

designed equipment. 

N O 3 and rising: Poor packaging 

exposed to moisture and/or damaged beyond 

use, often with missing or illegible labelling making 

it difficult or impossible to identify different 

batches/lots. 

N O 4: Cavity Wall Insulation (CWI) 

Wet Wall Test failures 

The definitive evidence of failure is moisture 

crossing the cavity, manifesting as damp areas 

on the block walls. Likely reasons for this will 

vary according to the type of material used. 

These can include inadequate fills, inadequate 

product properties, poor installation or unsuitable 

equipment, inappropriate cavity width for 

certain product types. All these can contribute 

to failure, allowing water/damp to travel across 

to the inner wall. 

Last but definitely not least N O 5: 

External Wall Insulation (EWI) 

dynamic wind loading test failures 

With ETICs systems, wind loading failures are 

due to pull through of fixings (either through the 

insulation or sheathing) or pull out of fixing from 

masonry or sheathing, or delamination of render 

from insulation. Note: The absolute number 

one cause of these failures is poor installation. 

Occasionally samples are not packaged adequately 

to protect them in transit; they become 

In the Building and Construction industry, if a new product is issued 

with a BBA Certificate, and subsequently becomes a hit in the 

market place, it will have nothing to do with hype or chance, just 

pure innovation genius combined with first class testing expertise. 

Some manufacturers whose products come close but fail at the end 

of the day may come away with a feeling that life has treated them 

unfairly. But then is life fair? 

The jury’s still out on that one 

insulatenetwork 21


Case Study 

Governments new energy plan 

needs to work alongside 

innovations in construction 

Plans announced this week by the 

government and Ofgem to invest in 

smarter, more flexible methods of 

generating and using energy need to work 

alongside innovative ways of ensuring homes 

are as energy efficient as possible, says 

insulation specialist Actis. 

The comments follow the launch on Monday of the 

Upgrading our Energy Systems - Smart Systems 

and Flexibility Plan by business secretary Greg 

Clarke, who says its implementation will help consumers 

save up to £40bn by 2050. 

Actis UK and Ireland commercial director Mark 

Cooper welcomed the innovative approach to energy 

generation and usage. He said this ‘outside 

the box’ thinking echoed sentiments in the recent 

Farmer Review of the Construction Labour Model 

which challenged the building industry to radically 

rethink how it operates in order to survive. 

“Innovation in energy generation and use has to 

go hand in hand with innovative new ways of creating 

the homes in which consumers will use this 

energy,” he explained 

Commissioned by the Department for Communities 

and Local Government and Department for 

Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, 

22 22 



the report’s author Mark Farmer said 

construction should be more like a car factory 

production line, with every section deliverable to 

a pre-determined quality standard. 

Mark Cooper continued: 

“We at Actis have been at the forefront of new 

technologies for a number of years with our innovative 

insulation products. The industry as a whole 

needs to take a broader approach to ensure energy 

efficiency standards continue to improve and to 

address immediate and medium term issues such 

as a shortage of skilled labour and a huge need for 

more housing. 

“We are among those pushing for more focus on 

offsite construction whose build speed, and the 

relative ease with which timber frame houses can 

be constructed, is vital at a time when the country 

is in dire need of additional housing and when the 

number of skilled workers is dwindling. 

“For maximum effectiveness, the government’s 

smart energy plan also needs to be combined with 

a concerted effort to ensure consumers are fully 

aware of the new options open to them. For example, 

they need to understand that not only will new 

technologies help them save money when using domestic 

appliances, but that when it comes to heating, 

the first line of defence against energy wastage 

is to ensure the physical envelope of their home 

is energy efficient. Better to have a home which 

retains the heat in the first place than one heated 

by renewables which leak out through the walls and 

roof as fast as you can say solar PV panel…” 

This combination of maximising fabric energy 

efficiency and minimising financial outgoings is 

illustrated by an Isle of Wight self builder whose 

primary aim was to protect his purse from the 

utility companies. 

Phil Clabburn insulated his 1900 sq ft 

traditionally styled timber frame home 

with Actis Hybris and insulating vapour 

control layer H Control Hybrid to ensure 

a thermally efficient shell, while installing 

a wood pellet burner, rainwater recovery 

system, solar thermal panel and LED 

lighting. 

Phil explained: 

“My objective was not to go all eco and 

save the planet and do a Kevin 

McCloud. It was simply to save ourselves 

from the utility companies! Looking at 

the project scientifically, I had some key 

objectives I wanted to achieve - mega insulation, 

low energy usage and low water 

consumption. This has been achieved by 

simple technologies, not complicated, 

expensive ones which consume lots of 

electricity!” 

Solihull-based Ardenvale Ltd chose to 

use products from the Actis Hybrid range 

when it converted a 10,000 sq ft 1940s 

one time hen house into a selection of one 

and two bedroom cottages. 

It chose insulating vapour control layer H 

Control Hybrid for the walls and 45mm 

honeycomb style insulation Hybris, H 

Control Hybrid and multifoil TS10+ for the 

roofs – for their combination of thermal 

efficiency and thinness. The properties 

also benefit from underfloor heating provided 

via an air source heat pump. 

insulatenetwork 

23


Case Study 

Expertise Plays a Part in 

Stunning Coastal Holiday Home 

When it came to the replacement of 

a landslide-damaged holiday home 

on Dorset’s Jurassic coast, future 

proofing was a key consideration with the 

new timber framed home designed in a way 

that ensured it would be protected against 

future landslides. As part of this long-term 

view, experts in energy efficiency, Darren 

Evans Assessments, provided guidance and 

advice to ensure this innovative project met 

its sustainability requirements and is as 

energy efficient as possible 

Designed by architects AR Design Studio and 

shortlisted for a RIBA award, the Crow’s Nest 

near Lyme Regis is a larch clad house which sits 

against a wooded backdrop and has uninterrupted 

views across the English Channel. It’s four linked 

timber frame pods – comprising the entrance, 

living space, two storey family tower, and single 

storey guest wing – are built on a floating structural 

frame which is laid on top of dwarf walls to act as 

an adjustable raft in case of future land movement. 

Designed to last for generations, energy efficiency 

is also at the heart of this inspired design with Darren 

Evans Assessments working with the architect 

in helping to create a more sustainable and energy 

efficient building. 

24


To meet Building Regulations Part L, the SAP 

Calculations carried out by Darren Evans Assessments 

showed an improvement over emissions 

targets and a nearly 9.5% improvement on fabric 

energy efficiency targets. 

The team also looked at minimising thermal 

bridging by following Accredited Construction 

Details (ACDs) so that the architects could design 

out thermal bridges and improve thermal values 

at junctions. 

Central to the energy performance of the building 

was the creation of an efficient building envelope 

with high levels of insulation throughout. Other 

measures included a wood burner to reduce the 

energy demand on the mains gas heating, 

low energy lighting and the orientation of the 

home in terms of glazing maximises solar gains in 

winter whilst at the same time reduces overheating 

risk and the cooling demand in summer. 

Commenting on the work of Darren Assessments, 

Andrew Badley of AR Design said: 

“As expected Darren Evans Assessments were 

easy to work with and quickly resolved issues as 

they arose by tweaking our environmental and 

sustainable solutions. It’s why we use them on 

every project.” 

With this new coastal home ready to take on 

whatever nature brings both now and in the 

future, Darren Evans Assessments ensured the 

project will have a sustainable future as well as 

having full compliance with the rigorous planning 

policies and building regulations required. 

Photo Credit: MartinGardner.com 

25


Industry Insight 

KNOWLEDGE IN INSULATION 

BRUFMA Conf. Review 

Building for the Future 

Our buildings built and retrofitted today must meet tomorrow’s requirements and respond 

to future changes whether in relation to climatic, technological, social or regulatory 

influences. To make buildings more resilient and reduce energy costs, we must 

reconsider how we design, construct and upgrade both new and existing buildings. But when 

it comes to design, how do we strike the right balance between regulation and education to 

ensure all parties are on board and buildings are future proofed? 

Some of the leading players in sustainability, design and building standards gathered at the end of June 

for the British Rigid Urethane Foam Manufacturers’ Association (BRUFMA) annual conference to discuss 

this long-term view on how we ensure our buildings are resilient to future challenges. 

Quality Mark 

One of the milestones on the energy efficiency 

journey came with the publication of Each 

Home Counts review back in 2016, the government-commissioned, 

but now industry-led, review 

into energy efficiency and renewable energy 

measures. The review’s principal recommendation 

is the introduction of a Quality Mark for all energy 

efficiency measures and for all who operate in the 

sector. 

The challenge with existing buildings is to understand 

what work needs to be carried out, which 

places huge importance in the upfront assessment 

of a building. It is imperative to appoint proficient 

assessors who understand what it is they are 

looking at, can interpret the information correctly 

and suggest the appropriate energy improvement 

measures. 

Commenting on the proposed Quality Mark, 

Dr Howard Porter, Chair of the Each Home 

Counts Implementation Board said: 

“There’s a lot of work going into an agreed 

cross-industry, quality philosophy with a quality 

assurance board looking at installers, specifiers, 

owner / operators. We are not looking at eliminating 

compliance schemes, but rather ensure they 

are offering a consistent level of quality. The evidence 

shows there is a massive variation in the 

level of quality that different schemes provide from 

the very good, to sadly, the not very good.” 

26 



“There’s a lot of work going into an agreed cross-industry, quality 

philosophy with a quality assurance board looking at installers, 

specifiers, owner / operators. We are not looking at eliminating 

compliance schemes, but rather ensure they are offering a consistent 

level of quality. The evidence shows there is a massive 

variation in the level of quality that different schemes provide 

from the very good, to sadly, the not very good.” 

There is a great deal of information available on the energy 

efficiency of dwellings, but it is in several different databases, 

held by different government agents, departments or private 

companies. 

The aim is to come up with a way to provide installers or companies 

who are quality marked with access to this data, on the 

assumption the consumer will allow it. This may also extend to 

smart meter data. 

“I have also proposed the concept of a ‘data safe installer/specifier/operator’. 

In other words, you have to be ‘data safe’ in order 

to access information about the property or smart metering 

data.”added Dr Howard Porter. 

“That’s why the Quality Mark is so important, because when you 

have a consistent level of quality, you will then be able to provide 

a much more nuanced or specific level of advice to the householder, 

local authority or landlord.” 

Along with a proposed information hub which will provide energy 

advice within the digital world, the Quality Mark will be backed 

by a new set of energy efficiency refurbishment standards the 

BSI is working on. 

The bottom line for the industry (and the UK) is that this kind of 

change in mindset is needed if we are to make a major dent in 

the challenge of our existing housing stock in particular, which is 

the cause of so much fuel poverty and places us way down the 

European league table. 

To make buildings more resilient and reduce energy 

costs, we must reconsider how we design, 

construct and upgrade new and existing buildings. 

insulatenetwork 27


The Next Big Flood 

In addition to the proposed Quality Mark, the 

importance of property level flood resilience 

“There are an estimated 5.2 million homes considered 

at risk from surface, river and coastal 

flooding. Preventative measures play a key role, 

but given the scale of our vulnerability, we need 

to think more practically about flooding and start 

to adapt to ‘living with water,” says Dr Stephen 

Garvin, Director at the BRE Centre for Resilience. 

“Therefore, fitting a house with resilient technologies 

and testing its ability to bounce back from 

water ingress is the first step on this journey.” 

The flood-resident home project carried out by 

the BRE demonstrates how a combination of 

good design, use of building materials and product 

innovation can ultimately help limit damage 

and ensure residents recover quickly from flooding 

issues. The housing unit is located within a 

Victorian terrace demonstration project and has 

been refurbished with a range of materials that 

make it more flood resilient. 

Different types of water-resilient insulation have 

been used in the house including injected cavity 

wall insulation, PIR insulation boards for walls and 

floors and PUR spray insulation. Other practical 

issues have also been addressed, such as how 

to improve floor insulation, where to place electric 

sockets and home appliances, and how to seal 

off areas where water could enter the property. 

Rigid closed-cell PUR insulation is the best 

performing material when installed into the cavity 

walls, as it retains integrity and has low moisture 

take-up. If flooding were to occur it would not 

allow the ingress of water through the cavity into 

a property. Once the flood water recedes, the 

closed-cell system remains serviceable, whereas 

other forms of insulation would need to be replaced 

causing disruption and great expense. 

Flooding is not going to go away which is why 

delivering flood resilience to homes will ultimately 

reduce the misery and disruption faced by thousands 

of residents across the UK. 

Innovation Drives Change 

With innovation clearly playing a huge role in 

reducing emissions and improving energy efficiency, 

the British Board of Agrément (BBA) is in 

a very privileged position, witnessing as it does 

innovation within every sector of the housebuilding 

community. As the leading, independent 

product accreditation and test body, the BBA 

works within 17 different sectors – all home to 

multimillion pound businesses operating in construction, 

employing thousands of people within 

the UK and millions globally. 

In particular, the insulation industry is one sector 

that has had to adapt significantly to environmental 

changes and varying expectations. One manufacturer 

could be creating a product that is thin 

enough to replicate something four or five inches 

thick, but with only an inch to play with, while another 

could be pioneering a self-supporting ‘roof 

in a roof’ insulation system. Another massive area 

of innovation is breathable membranes, critical 

to the management of moisture within buildings. 

These and a myriad of other product initiatives all 

add up to a regular flow of new challenges and 

often exciting outcomes. 

Since its inception in 1966, the BBA has issued 

over 5000 Certificates which are used in 

multimillion pound projects all over the country. 

28 



Of course, the appetite for innovation is unstinting, 

and not every product the BBA sees 

is necessarily innovative or going to work properly. 

Moreover, it’s ever more important that we 

maintain strict impartiality in everything we assess, 

but that doesn’t make the process any less 

fascinating. 

Commenting on the country’s commitment to 

innovation, Clare Curtis-Thomas, Chief Executive 

of The British Board of Agrément (BBA) 

said: 

“The Brits are good at iteration and empirical research 

and we see this in the insulation industry. 

The thought is often ‘I think we might have solution 

to this problem so let’s give it a go.’ And if 

it fails, ‘why did it fail?’ It’s only by learning from 

mistakes that real progress is made.” 

True innovators learn something from each iteration 

until they reach a point where they end up 

with a very good solution. 

It might be a better solution than the problem 

actually warranted, or even a solution to a 

problem that has not yet arisen. Inventors tend 

to be passionate people, and as such they 

are more likely to spot and welcome new 

possibilities that weren’t originally sought after 

or anticipated. 

“People come to us with a product and we 

know very early on whether it will actually sink or 

swim.” added Clare Curtis-Thomas. 

“Of course we are all on a journey and we work 

together to find where the weaknesses are. For 

some companies that might be a starting point to 

the end solution, while for others it’s an exit point.” 

“I recently saw a product that was so 

incredibly clever and solved a problem that 

everyone has. It’s a genius solution that is very 

low-tech, low price and it will become the 

standard. It’s simply amazing and I was thrilled 

with it.” 

At a time when the construction industry is faced 

with change and political uncertainty, the 

insulation sector is well poised to help the 

construction industry deliver better performing 

buildings both now and in the future. 

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insulatenetwork 29


Case Study 

Exploring the Differences 

Rainscreen and Insulated Panel Systems 

By Martin Hardwick, General Secretary, Engineered Panels in Construction (EPIC) 

Once installed, the external appearance of rainscreen systems and insulated panels are 

very similar. This has led to some confusion with regard to their use and relative performance 

and specification. To clear up the misconceptions, it is worth exploring how 

these systems function beneath the surface. 

Rainscreen Systems 

Rainscreen Systems are built-up 

systems comprising three distinct elements: 

• The rainscreen façade: a non-structural, 

aesthetic layer or thin panel on the outer of the 

building that protects everything inside it from 

the weather elements. Rainscreen façade panels 

can be made of a wide range of materials, including 

steel, timber, zinc, glass, ceramic, laminates 

and Aluminium Composite Materials (commonly 

known as ACM). Critically, the purpose of this 

layer is to form the external aesthetic of the building 

and to keep out the weather elements 

NOT to provide insulation properties. 

• A supporting frame: on which the rainscreen 

façade is structurally fixed; 

• An internal layer comprising insulation and a 

vapour barrier: This sits next to the structural wall, 

insulating the building and acting as the final protection 

against moisture ingress. 

A key feature of rainscreen systems is the cavity 

between the rainscreen façade and the internal 

layer. This is designed to prevent moisture from 

entering the main building structure, by ventilating 

the cavity. 

The various polyethylene (PE) cored ACM 

systems tested by the Building Research 

Establishment (BRE) during July and August 

’17, sometimes also referred to as an Aluminium 

Composite Panel (ACP), are not ‘insulated 

panels’. PE is included to provide strength and 

rigidity to the ACM and is not designed for, 

nor does it offer any, insulation properties. 

Metal Faced Insulated Panels (Sandwich Panels) 

Unlike the built-up construction of a rainscreen 

façade cladding system, insulated panels are factory-made, 

solid single units that are fixed directly 

to the structural frame. They typically comprise 

a rigid insulation layer which is auto-adhesively 

bonded to the metal facings to provide a strong, 

durable unit. 

30 



There is no cavity within this single unit design. 

BS 8414 certified insulated panels for use on 

buildings with a storey above 18m are available, 

and are recognised as an approved solution for 

high-rise buildings by the Department for Communities 

and Local Government (DCLG), as 

indicated within recently issued guidance. 

Insulated panels can also meet the rigorous 

testing of the insurance industry fire performance 

standards Loss Prevention Standard LPS 1181 

and/or Factory Mutual FM 4880/4881/4471 

which can provide performance over and above 

the requirements of UK Building Regulations. 

Insulated panels have been used to clad 

buildings for over 40 years and are regularly used 

in the retail, leisure, education and health sectors. 

They are one of the most widely-tested and 

thoroughly-researched construction products 

available, and are provided to specifiers, 

designers/engineers and architects with 

extensive independent technical literature and 

test results proving their fire performance. As 

such, they can be, and are, specified worldwide 

with confidence. 

For further information about insulated 

panel systems and guidance on regulatory 

requirements, visit www.epic.uk.com 

They are one of the most widely 

tested and thoroughly-researched 

construction products available, and 

are provided to specifiers, designers/ 

engineers and architects with 

extensive independent technical 

literature and test results proving 

their fire performance. As such, they 

can be, and are, specified worldwide 

with confidence. 

31


Insulate Debate 

Smart Buildings 

Underpinned by fabric first 

The most recent National Infrastructure Commission’s report on The Impact of the Environment 

and Climate Change on Future Infrastructure Supply and Demand will aid the 

Commission in putting together scenarios for 2050, and that those scenarios will inform 

the assessment of future infrastructure needs. 

The inclusion of environmental and climate change effects in the scenarios is clearly very important, 

being key drivers of change. Anticipated changes in the climate over the coming decades and the urgent 

need to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions will directly affect the demand for infrastructure services. 

Reduce Carbon Emissions 

Energy used in buildings – 

both domestic and non-domestic 

- currently accounts 

for a significant proportion 

of UK greenhouse gas emissions 

– around one fifth of total 

non-traded emissions in 2016. 

Emissions from the buildings 

sector have come down since 

1990, as shown in the report, 

but there is still a long way to 

go. Indeed, the Government’s 

latest projections for emissions 

abatement, published in March 

2017, indicate that the UK is 

not on track to meet its fourth 

and fifth carbon budgets, and 

that emissions from the domestic 

residential sector are 

set to rise by 10% by 2035. 

Further reductions are so vital 

to meeting carbon budgets, 

will require that fabric energy 

efficiency and energy performance 

standards in buildings 

are raised. The result: buildings 

require less energy to heat 

them to a comfortable level, 

and energy consumption at 

the national level falls – even 

as the population grows and 

rebound effects are taken into 

account. Falling energy consumption, 

of course, takes the 

pressure off the supply side 

and the investment needed to 

supply energy. 

Protect Consumers 

Manage Demand 

At a strategic level, not only 

does energy demand 

management, including the 

improvement of the building 

fabric, help to de-risk national 

energy supply strategies, 

insulatenetwork 33


t is also one of the most effective ways of protecting 

consumers from the full force of energy 

price rises and volatility in global energy markets. 

It is vital to make significant progress on fabric 

energy efficiency, including insulation, as the UK 

works towards decarbonising the electricity grid 

and a greater proportion of buildings become 

electrically heated - a more expensive and carbon 

intensive form of heating compared to gas. 

The country anticipates a rise in the up-take of 

microgeneration technologies for heat and power 

such as Solar PV, Solar Thermal and Heat 

Pumps. We must simultaneously and safely 

upgrade and insulate the fabric of buildings to 

minimum levels, otherwise risk wasting renewable 

energy, and in the case of heat pumps, 

reduced performance of the systems. The “fabric 

first” principle is a key tenet of energy policy. 

The move towards smart buildings with technology 

which enables businesses to control their 

heating, hot water and appliances should also 

be matched with a quality building. Being able 

to precisely control when the heating comes 

on, in order to be comfortable and save energy, 

has much greater value and impact in a building 

which is not leaking heat. 

Job Half Done 

Energy efficiency in the domestic sector has also 

been a significant driver in reducing energy use 

and greenhouse gas emissions and the NIC must 

make this clearer, both in terms of past successes 

and the potential for energy demand and 

emissions reductions in future. 

However, the job of upgrading the building 

stock is only half done. The investment potential 

is large. All existing UK buildings need to be 

brought up to a reasonable standard of energy 

efficiency, judged to be the equivalent of at least 

Band C on an Energy Performance Certificate. 

There are over 20 million homes in the UK below 

this standard, and many millions still need insulation. 

A new piece of research in 2017 by the highly-respected 

UK Energy Research Centre has analysed 

the expected energy savings resulting from 

raising the energy performance of UK homes to 

EPC C. They found that one half of the energy 

currently used in housing could be saved by 

investing in a mix of current technologies encompassing 

improved energy efficiency, heat pumps 

and heat networks. 

Cost-effective investments to 2035 could save 

around one quarter of the energy currently used 

which is approximately equivalent to the output 

of six nuclear power stations the size of Hinkley 

Point C. Finally using Treasury guidance for policy 

appraisal, this investment has a net present value 

of £7.5bn and accounting for other benefits, 

such as improved health, avoided gas imports, 

and benefits to the electricity system, increases 

this estimate to £63.9bn. 

Frontier Economics is also due to publish a 

report in Autumn 2017 setting out why upgrading 

the building stock should be designated as 

a Government infrastructure investment priority, 

and what a building energy infrastructure programme 

would look like in practice. 

What NIC Must Do 

MIMA has strongly recommended to the Commission 

that the scenarios they prepare clearly 

include assumptions about energy demand, 

34 www.insulatenetwork.com


energy efficiency and/or the 

energy performance of buildings. 

Leading scenarios such 

as the National Grid’s Future 

Energy Scenarios set out their 

assumptions on energy demand 

and efficiency gains as 

it has such a profound impact 

on national energy use and 

on climate change mitigation 

efforts. 

However, the Government has 

not yet allocated any public 

capital funds to support home 

energy efficiency programmes 

even though it plans to spend 

over £100 billion of public capital 

funds on infrastructure projects 

by 2020. It is imperative 

that the NIC recommend that 

improving energy efficiency as 

a national infrastructure priority 

as part of a wider balancing of 

the energy system. 

The energy efficiency sector is 

unified in its calls to see building 

energy efficiency made an 

infrastructure priority, as has 

happened in Scotland, and we 

now need to see this become 

a reality through a clear recommendation 

by the NIC and a 

government commitment. 

News Flash 

New Belgrade Insulation 

Branch in London 

Now open our London branch will 

focus on the supply of Technical Insulation 

to contractors working in the London 

region. The branch is ideally situated 

on the London Industrial Park at Beckton 

on the inbound side of the A13, well 

located for deliveries into central London 

and beyond. With such a convenient 

location contractors can also collect at 

the start or end of their working day. 

An extensive range of Mineral Fibre, 

Phenolic and Nitrile Rubber will be 

stocked together with associated 

ancillary products. 


35

The UK's Only Exhibition Dedicated to the Insulation Industy 

Insulation expo 2018 

A date for the diary 

Insulation Expo 2018 

Insulate Network are delighted to announce the official launch of Insulation Expo 2018 - The 

UK’s only exhibition dedicated to the insulation industry. Scheduled for the 18th & 19th June 

2018 at the East Midlands Conference in Nottingham, the event will showcase the latest 

insulation innovations, perspectives and expertise. 

Insulation Expo 2018 promises to be a leading 

summit for people to meet the most inspiring 

and advanced insulation professionals from the 

U.K.and across the globe. Offering the opportunity 

to network with manufacturers, installers, 

suppliers, specifiers, government officials and 

housebuilders to show, learn, share, network and 

gather inspiration to support the development of 

our industry. 

Insulation Expo will provide the platform to present 

and get up-to-date with the most innovative 

developments in insulation and energy efficiency. 

In 2018, the event will focus on the presence of 

organisations, exhibitors and visitors from around 

the world to keep on generating synergies, sharing 

knowledge, provoking discussion, reflection 

and inspiring new actions. 

The Insulation Expo Vision 

As the first in what will be a hugely informative, 

educational and entertaining annual insulation 

event we are eager for insulation expo 2018 to be 

truly unmissable. Our vision for insulation expo is 

to become a central hub that will allow key decision 

makers to make expertly informed insulation 

choices for existing and upcoming projects. 

The UK's Only Exhibition 

Dedicated to the Insulation Industry 

Showcasing the latest insulation innovations, perspectives & expertise 

36 www.insulationexpo.co.uk

Let"s Build Insulation Expo Together 

In order to make insulation expo unmissable, we 

are keen to have aspiring exhibitors and industry 

experts directly involved in the activities that 

take place during the two day event. How would 

you utilise the Interactive Insulation Space? What 

outside of the box ideas do you have for your stand 

space? And who would you like to see, speak or 

discuss different industry relevant topics in the insulate 

debate live theatre? 

We are open to all suggestions and are keen to 

incorporate the best ideas to build an expo that not 

only visitors but exhibitors, will want to return to for 

years to come thanks to the quality of content that is 

available across the two days. 

If you are interested in visiting the exhibition you will 

be able to claim your free ticket shortly, for more 

information on what to expect as a visitor at the event 

visit www.insulationexpo.co.uk. If you are interested 

in exhibiting at the 2018 event, you can more online 

or contact us for an exhibitor information pack. 

18th & 19th June 2018 | EMCC Nottingham 

Get your ticket & book your exhibitor space 

www.insulationexpo.co.uk 

@insulationexpo 

We are open to all suggestions and 

are keen to incorporate the best 

ideas to build an expo that not only 

visitors but exhibitors, will want to 

return to for years to come thanks 

to the quality of content that is 

available across the two days. 

37

2017 

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The only independent www.insulatenetwork.com 

insulation industry trade magazine 

Featured CPDs 

Recticel CPD provides the ultimate guide to 

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Leading PIR manufacturer, Recticel Insulation, has 

created an informative CPD titled, Toolbox Talk, 

which offers a fascinating overview of the insulation 

solutions used with masonry cavity wall construction. 

The seminar offers an in-depth understanding of a 

range of topics. It includes a look at the evolution of 

cavity wall construction and how improved thermal 

performance requirements have fuelled the development 

of insulation products such as low thermal 

conductivity rigid pir insulation boards. 

Recticel’s presentation, which forms part of the 

RIBA core curriculum, also features traditional insulation 

solutions as well as analysis on the contrast 

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Issues to consider in design, specification and 

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insulatenetwork 39

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Insulate Magazine Issue 9

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