Two recently completed projects that have utilised PermaRock’s Mineral Fibre External Wall Insulation Systems have been shortlisted in the Project of the Year (over £3 million) category in the prestigious Building Communities Awards 2020.
The event, hosted by Efficiency East Midlands (EEM), is intended “to recognise and celebrate professionalism, excellence and innovation within the housing and construction community.”
The awards evening itself will take place on 28th February at Athena on Queen Street in Leicester.
The first shortlisted project is a complex and innovative modernisation scheme to ‘ The Courts ’ in Nottingham.
Devised as a UK energy efficiency demonstration project, amongst other measures, it encompassed:
- Improving the 5-storey block's energy efficiency through the use of external wall insulation, photovoltaic panels, loft and floor insulation, new windows and doors, and top-up loft insulation.
- The construction of the UK's first-ever residential battery storage facility, which is possibly the biggest of its kind anywhere in the world.
- The UK's first low-temperature district heating system - i.e. utilising the low-temperature return from a neighbouring district heating system.
- The use of heat exchange units to recover the waste heat.
- Removal of traditional on-site gas boilers.
The second shortlisted project, Winwood Heights, Nottingham, was a refurbishment and new build scheme, also for Nottingham City Homes.
The project consisted of the upgrade of two high-rise tower blocks and a new-build (low-rise) development. The fire performance of the proposed cladding products was of great importance, following changes to UK Building Regulations post the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
The PermaRock Mineral Fibre external wall insulation system, with SiliconeUltra K 1.5mm Finish, was specified due to its accreditation, testing and compliance to the latest UK Building Regulations / European Standards for the application of cladding products onto high-rise buildings.
Uniquely, the tower blocks featured an unusual but colourful 'patchwork' design, which showed the scope of design options available with PermaRock through-coloured render finishes.
PermaRock Mineral Fibre external wall insulation system
For use on multi-storey buildings, the PermaRock Mineral Fibre external wall insulation (EWI) systems provide excellent reaction to fire performance, and systems with an A2-s1,d0 classification in accordance with BS EN 13501-1:2007+A1:2009 are suited for use on high rise and low rise buildings including those with floor levels above 18 metres above ground level.
PermaRock Mineral Fibre systems with PermaRock SiliconeUltra K Finish, Mineral K Finish, PermaRock Brick Slips, PermaRock Brick Effect Render and Dry Dash Finish are assessed to EN 13501-1:2007 + A1:2009 and classed A2-s1,d0.
PermaRock provided extensive design and technical support to both projects, through the procurement and installation processes, extensively supporting the design and construction teams involved, helping to achieve the fantastic projects that have now been recognised by the Building Communities Awards.