Refurb and maintenance

There are a number of issues that come about from the fact that nearly 80% of homes in England are over 40 years old1 – and it is forecast that 80% of our existing building stock will still be in use in 20502!

The most common issues include condensation and damp, draughts, and excessive cold brought on by a lack of insulation which makes heating systems work harder for more money and less warmth. This leads many people to pay for wasted energy – which they struggle to afford as we continue to experience a cost of living crisis. According to the English Housing Survey 2022-23, over a quarter of tenants struggled to pay rent in both the private and social housing sectors3, so it is crucial that their property is energy efficient and air tight so they are able to retain heat within their property.

We know the stats:
• the housing stock in the UK is amongst the oldest in Europe.
• approximately 3.5 million occupied homes were not suitable and did not meet the Decent Homes Standard in 2020, with 4% having serious damp issues.
• 32% of category 1 hazards are for excess cold.

Removal and replacement of lead water supply pipes is not only good for occupiers’ health, but part of UK water companies ‘Green Recovery Programme’.

Invicta Construction Finishes, a member of the CorkSol Independent Approved Applicator Network, have worked with North Yorkshire Council on a number of their social housing properties.

CorkSol were approached by Together Housing, providers of social housing, with a portfolio of over 37,000 properties. Some of these are hard to treat properties, requiring sustainable solutions to solve a range of problems whilst working towards their Net Zero targets.

Since this announcement in January 2022, major water companies have been developing plans to upgrade the UKs water supply and reduce current usage from 150 litres per person per day to 110.  

Groundbreaker will be a major contributor to this new infrastructure.  Surface mounted metering and flow reduction are integral parts of major water companies new plans, and Groundbreaker’s unique products are an essential part of the new style infrastructure.

The wide range of innovative products and systems offered by today’s window and door industry may provide housing specifiers with the scope to achieve their performance goals effectively on paper without focusing on the minor components used in their manufacture. However, the reality could be very different.

Reputable window and door manufacturers always have a clear procurement strategy for fasteners, so they know the products they use are fit for purpose. But what are the most important considerations specifiers need to be aware of when it comes to window fasteners?