The Building Envelope

The increased cost of living continues to highlight the need for energy-efficient social housing, leading to greater scrutiny of the thermal performance of building components in new and existing buildings. With legislation also continuing to tighten in the wake of the Future Homes Standard, Russell Hand, Head of Product Management and Technical at REHAU Windows, explains how implementing Passivhaus-informed performance criteria in window specification can ensure properties remain sustainable and efficient.

The state of UK housing is in a profound sense of flux. Rising energy costs are further underlining the need for thermally efficient homes, especially for older properties. This is especially a concern in social housing, as the majority was built between 1945 and 1980 . Consequently, pressure is on building specifiers to select thermally efficient components when retrofitting existing homes or building new developments.

To further support the availability of sustainable roofing solutions, Marley has extended its SolarTile® range, with the launch of a new panel.
 
Larger than Marley’s existing 335Wp system, the new M10 Solar Photovoltaic Panel delivers a peak power of 405Wp to increase total power from a roof area, while allowing for the installation of fewer solar panels to achieve the desired power output.
 
Building on the ease of installation found in Marley’s SolarTile® range, the new M10 also offers simple roof integration with a clean, low-profile aesthetic making it a sustainable solution for new builds and retrofit projects.

Responding to UK/Ireland specifier calls for high-performance door components, James Latham introduces FERRO,
a premium range of highly durable and weather resistant external door blanks from leading brand Moralt.

Comprising some of the most robust external blanks currently available on the market, FERRO blanks are made from top-quality natural and engineered timbers, with either paintable plywood, exterior MDF or decorative veneered plywood faces.

What sets the FERRO blanks apart from others on the market is that each one contains two thermally isolated solid steel stabilising bars in its core, helping to prevent bowing and warping.

Stone wool insulation manufacturer, ROCKWOOL®, has added to its suite of industry support resources with the launch of the Recladding with ROCKWOOL guide for specifiers.

Following the ban on combustible materials in relevant new buildings over 18 metres (ADB updated for England June 2022), many building owners are recladding existing buildings with non-combustible materials that comply with the updated regulations.

Stuart Nicholson, Roof Systems Director at Marley, believes working with a single source roofing manufacturer, who is on top of ongoing regulations, can mitigate risk in a changing industry landscape. 

Changes to Part L of the Building Regulations have been made so new homes produce 31% lower carbon emissions. It is the precursor to 2025’s Future Homes Standard which will require new homes are specified and constructed to be energy efficient, use low carbon heating solutions, and be zero carbon ready.

Designing and constructing future-proof social houses, which will serve their occupants for years to come and will not cause issues to the building users and building owners is paramount. Even with the most innovative design, the building is as good as the materials used in its construction, with roofs demanding special attention from architects and builders alike.

Social landlords turning to timber to reducing carbon and improving building performance  

High performance timber windows and doors manufacturer, NorDan UK Ltd, has announced a record 34 percent increase in turnover for a single year in 2022.

This has included significant growth in the UK social housing market, with social landlords increasing their purchase of NorDan products by 11 percent.