Project Overview:
Background:
In December 2014, Chesterfield Borough Council commissioned a large-scale decarbonisation scheme via the Efficiency East Midlands (EEM) framework. Its aim was to improve the thermal efficiency of over 500 homes, primarily through the installation of external wall insulation (EWI).
The Brief:
The initial £3.2m scheme would involve the installation of external wall insulation and weatherproof decorative render to a mixture of No Fines concrete houses and low-rise blocks in the Grangewood and Old Whittington areas. All the properties had originally been built with solid walls and therefore exhibited poor heat retention. The installation of EWI would substantially improve the buildings' energy efficiency ratings and should therefore improve residents' quality of life.
The brief also called for a “whole-house” approach. In addition to fitting EWI, the proposed works included installing top-up loft insulation, asbestos removal, the renewal of facias and soffits, the extension of pipes, sills and central heating vents, plus the installation of new fibreglass canopies to some properties.
Design & Specification:
The system chosen for the scheme was PermaRock’s EPS Premium External Wall Insulation, together with PermaRock Brick Slips, which would help to maintain the original appearance of the properties.
PermaRock Brick Slips are a lightweight, synthetic resin brick used to replicate brickwork. They are available in a range of finishes and 12 colours. In this case, the standard ‘Rustic’ colour was chosen to maintain the appearance of the red brick properties. The brick slips exhibit excellent colour fastness and very good resistance to surface soiling, so they enable properties to retain a clean, attractive appearance.
Result:
All 509 of the initially selected properties were completed by the end of October 2015 - five months ahead of schedule. Chesterfield BC then commissioned a further three phases under the same framework. Phase 2 (delivered in 2016) entailed similar work to 26 houses in Inkersall and 17 bungalows in Glossops Croft. Phase 3 entailed works on 93 REEMA properties in Boythorpe and Staveley, together with 24 Trusteel properties.
Besides EWI installation, works entailed asbestos removal and the replacement of windows, soffits and facias. Concrete repairs were made to all properties before the EWI works and, at Staveley, all the old cladding was removed and replaced before the EWI installation. In this case, the chosen system was PermaRock EPS Premium (90 mm thickness) with a Silicone Ultra-K finish and brick slip. All the bungalows are steel framed and underwent full inspections of the structural work before the EWI installation. Work was completed in August 2017.
An additional phase began at the start of 2017 and involved the treatment of more than 500 properties in two work streams across eight districts. The properties comprised a mix of 'hard to treat' designs including part cavity and solid wall. Subsequent projects are the subject of separate case studies.
Additional note:
In the 2018 Building Communities Awards, hosted by Efficiency East Midlands, the overall scheme was named ‘Project of the Year.’