External wall insulation (EWI) by Saint-Gobain Weber has been specified for the thermal upgrade of more than 1,400 homes in Willenhall,Coventry. The properties are owned and managed by Whitefriars Housing, Midlands-based housing association .
weber.therm XP EWI and one-coat render system was specified by Whitefriars’ in-house architects for its high thermal performance, speed and ease of application. Due to the size of the project, and the requirement to meet the Community Energy Savings Programme (CESP) funding deadline, main contractor Wates Living Space appointed two Network Weber recommended applicators, ECL Contractors and Astley Facades, to work on specific neighbourhoods.
These 1950-60s homes, a mixture of lo-rise houses and 4–5 storey blocks of apartments and duplexes, are all of solid wall No Fines construction and have received a ‘whole house’ approach to their thermal recovery. A variety of pastel colours were selected for Willenhall with either a dry dash or scraped finish.
The BBA certificated and Energy Saving Trust recommended weber.therm XP is the versatile solution for upgrading non-traditional housing types. Where speed is important this efficient system, using 60mm weber.therm PHS, phenolic insulation board, and standard meshcloth in conjunction with weber.therm M1 render, achieves outstanding results.
This one-coat, through-colour mineral render reduces on site labour and associated costs by up to 50 per cent in comparison with a traditional two coat system. Recent improvements to this special formulation allow it to work in harmony with seasonal conditions achieving a same-day finish in the summer and a next-day finish in the winter which has contributed to the successful delivery of the project. weber.therm M1 is suitable for spray or hand application and is algae and impact resistant.
While improving the thermal performance of these homes EWI is responsible for dramatically improving the aesthetics of the neighbourhood. Tenants have noticed great improvement in their heating bills while enjoying the transformation of the area. “The difference in the warmth of my home is amazing,” says one happy tenant. “I have turned my thermostat down from 22 to 15 degrees and once the heating is off the house stays warmer for longer. My house looks lovely and it’s a pleasure to live in the area now.”
For more information about this project, or for technical support, please contact Saint-Gobain Weber on 08703 330 070, or visit www.netweber .co.uk. A free download of the new weber.app for iPhone and iPad users is also available from iTunes and from Google Play for Android smartphones and tablet users. Follow Saint-Gobain Weber on Twitter @SGWeberUK for the latest company news and updates.
