SAINT-GOBAIN WEBER EWI SYSTEM CREATES A ‘WARM FRONT’ OVER SOUTHEND
The properties are part of the 6,500 homes controlled by South Essex Homes (SEH), the housing management and maintenance arm of Southend-on-Sea Borough Council. SEH have an ongoing programme to raise their property portfolio to Decent Homes standards which includes renovations and replacement of roofing, plumbing and fenestration. In addition, a major programme for the improved thermal efficiency of these homes is in place to help with the reduction of expensive energy costs and controlled carbon emissions. The external wall insulation contract was awarded to Anglian Building Products (ABP), the large project division of Anglian Windows, based in Norwich, who installed and managed the works.
The properties at Blenheim Chase are either semi-detached or terraced homes which were built after the war using the Laing Easiform poured concrete system. The buildings have very slim cavities and offer poor insulation performance. Cavity fill has been tried unsuccessfully and local residents have been disappointed with the results. SEH has specified external wall insulation for its proven thermal performance capacity and to avoid space reduction internally.
The weber.therm EWI specified by SEH had previously been used in another area 12 months before and the successful results encouraged project surveyor Roger Hymas, South Essex Homes, to use the system again. "In the previous project our tenants were very complimentary and reported substantial savings in fuel costs and much improved comfort. The weber.therm EWI system has proved its worth and the U-value for the Blenheim Chase properties has been brought down to an impressive 0.24 W/m²K. Tenants Mr and Mrs Prentice said: "We can really notice the difference in warmth and comfort. We have been running the thermostat in the mid-twenties, even in a mild Autumn, and before the scaffold came down we were already able to turn the stat down to 19.5° C, and this is really comfortable. Our home has been given a new lease of life and looks great."
The properties have been encapsulated with 60mm thick rigid boards of phenolic foam insulation, mechanically fixed to the concrete substrate. The insulation is rendered with weber.rend LAC and as this takes up the open weave, alkaline resistant fibreglass meshcloth is laid onto the first coat. A second coat of render is then applied. At Leigh-on-Sea weber.sil TF150, a silicone-based textured finish, has been chosen which offers high water and dirt repellency helping facades to stay fresh-looking for longer. It is also suitable for Weber render-only systems. The weber.therm XM EWI and render system is designed to remodel and rejuvenate tired facades while creating a 'warm wall' that eliminates any risk of cavity condensation.
The SEH properties now have radically improved thermal efficiency and aesthetics. Steve Cordell, Anglian Building Products' contracts manager, has received commendations from residents for his liaison work and the efficiency of his application teams. He praises the Saint-Gobain Weber products and comments: "The quality of the weber.therm EWI materials is first class. Importantly, being made in the UK guarantees rapid delivery and if we run short we know the job won't be held up for weeks which disrupts the tenants for longer and completely ruins the build schedule." weber.therm EWI materials are manufactured in local factories in Bedfordshire, Shropshire and Northern Ireland for fast and efficient distribution throughout the country, reducing road miles and environmental impact.
The versatile Saint-Gobain Weber EWI systems are BBA approved and can be used with most major insulant types. A choice of low maintenance finishes, including the revolutionary one-coat weber.them XP, a natural brick slip and the cost efficient multiple render, brickwork-effect systems allow for a seamless match with neighbouring properties. Alternative finishes include dry dash, scraped or textured render, and there is a wide choice of coloured weber.plast decorative finishes which are factory batched in ready-to-use form. Saint-Gobain Weber recommends the use of their concrete repair products prior to the application of weber.therm EWI to ensure a sound substrate.
Saint-Gobain Weber provides training at their Technical Academies and on-site support for a network of recognised applicators. The company can help with funding partners under the energy supplier-obligated schemes such as CERT and the solid wall community scheme CESP.
