Student Residential Refurbishment, Manchester

Brief

Dalton-Ellis Hall is situated on the Victoria Park Campus and it’s a property with considerable heritage. The main hall is Grade II-listed and first opened in 1882. The Graham and Ewings accommodation blocks were later additions but their designs were sympathetic, featuring similar red brick walls, together with rendered sheathing panels on the upper levels. It was therefore important that any retrofit measures would respect the buildings’ original character. Moreover, the blocks would remain occupied during the semesters, so the work would have to be planned in such a way as to minimise disruption.

The scheme, scheduled for completion in 2023, would include internal refurbishment works, mainly focused on the bedrooms, kitchens and communal areas. It would else see the installation of new glazing and solar arrays. However, one of the most important energy efficiency retrofit measures would be the installation of an external wall insulation system (EWI).

The use of EWI, with suitable finishes, would help to improve the buildings’ thermal performance without dramatically changing their appearance. In addition, because EWI is installed from the outside, it would not entail significant disruption to the occupants, nor reduce the space available in the rooms.

The specifier worked with Permarock’s technical support team to carry out the necessary testing, inspection and planning works. As part of those efforts, Permarock operatives made regular site visits, provided telephone-based support, and conducted pull-out tests. The same team also provided installers with relevant, project-specific training.

Design and Specification:

The chosen EWI system comprised:

• Permarock Mineral Fibre External Wall Insulation System with insulation boards adhesively bonded and mechanically fixed to the substrate;
• Permarock Brick Slips;
• Permarock Silicone^Ultra K Finish (textured render).

When combined with either Permarock Brick Slips or Permarock Silicone^Ultra K finish, Permarock Mineral Fibre EWI systems achieve an A2-s1,d0 reaction to fire classification (EN 13501-1) and can be used on buildings of any height.

The Permarock Mineral Fibre Dual Density Insulation was supplied in boards measuring 1200 mm x 600 mm, and in thicknesses of 150 mm. Where installed as infill above cladding rails between the brick piers, thicknesses of 250 mm were used. The boards were affixed using a combination of polymer-modified cement-based adhesive and galvanised steel screws.

Permarock Brick Slips are lightweight and flexible, and they produce a breathable, hardwearing, weather-resistant finish. They come in a choice of 12 standard colours and three textured finishes, allowing different combinations to be specified in order to suit the aesthetic demands of different projects. (Special colours, textures and sizes can also be manufactured to order.) Here, supplied in a standard colour, they very effectively replicated the original appearance of the two blocks’ brickwork.

On smaller areas of the buildings, Permarock Silicone^Ultra K Finish was used to provide the insulation with attractive, weatherproof protection. An external through-colour render, it is available in a wide range of colours and, importantly, its surface tends to shed dirt through the normal actions of weathering. This helps to minimise the need for cleaning and maintenance throughout its working life, which will normally be well in excess of 30 years.