The world’s demand for energy will only ever grow and whilst new sources of sustainable and renewable energy are secured through incentivising financial investment, there is one area where definitive reductions in energy consumption can be achieved. The homes in which we live and the buildings in which we work contribute significantly towards our overall carbon footprint – around 47% of the UK’s total carbon emissions. Cutting the energy use and waste of Britain’s poor housing stock will substantially reduce the generation load going forward. Importantly the impact of reduced CO2 emissions will contribute to Government targets as part of a global strategy.
Of the 22 million homes in the UK identified as being in need of remedial action in order to reduce wasted energy, 8.5 million are 60 years old or over and rated hard to treat. The cost of renovating these low performance properties to an adequate level of thermal efficiency versus the cash saved on wasted energy and emissions is a no-brainer as expensive heat seeps away through un-insulated walls, roofs, windows and doors.
Commercial properties can exhibit the same heat loss problems and whilst insulated cladding systems may be a solution in factory unit renovation, more traditional brick and block buildings need a remedy that upgrades the thermal efficiency and improves the aesthetics. External wall insulated (EWI) render by Saint-Gobain Weber is the solution.
Saint-Gobain, one of the worlds’ leading construction materials suppliers, has an impressive inventory of systems, methods and processes to enhance construction performance, improve building economics and drive productivity. In the Saint-Gobain Weber brand a diverse portfolio of products are available including tiling materials, floor screeds, specialist concrete products and renders. In addition the award-winning, BBA accredited, External Wall Insulation (EWI) system integrates premium high performance products that provide a remedial retrofit solution for hard to treat properties. It’s also interesting to note that EWI is increasingly used in Modern Methods of Construction, the fast-track new build process using the latest techniques to speed up build productivity and achieve high levels of thermal efficiency.
EWI does exactly what the name implies. The external walls of the building are wrapped with insulation which is given a weatherproof render coat to protect against the elements. Why insulate externally? In properties where room sizes can be small, EWI makes no impact on internal room dimensions and avoids having to work around fiddly internal systems like plumbing and electrical runs. The weather resistant render coat also solves the problem of the porous outer skin of the ageing external surface. And then there is the value of aesthetics. EWI provides a modern, decorative and weather resistant shield and rejuvenates the property’s appearance with a clean and smart exterior finish offering all the benefits of social, community and personal harmony.
This dramatic commercial application clearly illustrates the multiple values of the Saint- Gobain weber.therm XP external wall insulation and render system. The Dublin headquarters of international corporation DCC has received an attractive new appearance and greatly improved thermal performance with the recent application of External Wall Insulation (EWI) by Saint-Gobain Weber. Subsequent benefits include a welcome reduction in energy consumption, improved environmental impact and greater efficiency in the building’s overheads. This impressive building was constructed around 30 years ago in cavity blockwork with a simple sand and cement render. The façade carries a number of attractive, raised architectural features around window and door openings and there is a major feature on the elegant, bowed frontage above the main entrance. A specific requirement of the refurbishment brief was to highlight and accentuate these features while improving thermal efficiency in the building. Now complete, the refurbishment project has won universal acclaim with the exterior finish enhancing these attractive architectural features.
Thomas Russell of DMOD Architects who specified the use of weber.therm XP EWI reports: “Cavity wall insulation had been installed in this building previously, and together with EWI, Weber calculated an impressive U-value of 0.16/m²K from an earlier measurement of 0.27K/m²K. The choice of render colours using a combination of Pearl Grey and Stone Grey has significantly enhanced the appearance of the building, to the approval of the client, staff and the local community.”
Weber-recognised applicator James Doran & Son was appointed by Townlink Construction for the application of 1600m² of weber.therm XP EWI which was supplied by Facades Systems, a division of SIG Ireland, a leading supplier of specialist construction products. Colm Kennedy of Townlink oversaw the EWI installation: “This building was ready for a facelift and that’s exactly what weber.therm XP EWI has achieved. We brought in a skilled EWI applicator and together we have all contributed to the transformation of this impressive building which will now be even more comfortable for the staff in both winter and summer.”
The revolutionary weber.therm XP EWI with weber.therm M1 one-coat render was applied using 100mm thick expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation. To retain the architectural features raised panels were created with 120mm thick EPS which provided the essential relief. This unique render reduces on-site labour and associated access costs, in comparison with a traditional two-coat application, adding to the sustainability values of this system.
Technical support: 08703 330 070, www.netweber.co.uk In Ireland: 028 9335 2999, www.weber.ie The weber.app is available from iTunes and Google Play
Saint-Gobain Weber
Tel: 08703 330 070
