With the plan to reduce heating bills and cut energy use, Manor Farm
House, in Binsey, a run-down 200-year-old residential property
belonging to Christ Church, Oxford, was recently the subject of
extensive refurbishment. As a period property, the task of
insulating the building required specialist products and expertise;
this is where leading insulation supplier, Knauf Insulation was able
to help.
The building required new roof coverings, damp proofing, replacement
windows and doors, rewiring, plumbing and heating as well as wall
and loft insulation. With so much needing to be done, Project
Manager, Tony Morris, Clerk of the Works for Christ Church and
Oxford Cathedral, decided it was an ideal time to incorporate as
much in the way of energy saving technology as possible.
Firstly, the overall energy efficiency of the building envelope had
to be improved and getting the insulation right was key. A beautiful
period property built within a conservation area, Manor Farm had
solid walls, so there was no possibility of using cavity wall
insulation. External wall insulation, too, was unsuitable, as any
insulation solution would have to be installed without compromising
the aesthetics of the farmhouse. When discussing the requirements
with Knauf Insulation, the technical advisory team recommended an
internal wall insulation, or IWI system, which delivers the required
thermal and energy efficiencies, whilst maintaining the exterior
appearance.
Providing an efficient thermal upgrade, Knauf Insulation’s Internal
Wall Insulation System (IWI) system consists of thermally engineered
insulated EcoStuds mechanically fixed to the inside of the external
wall. High performance water repellent glass mineral wool EcoBatts
are then friction fitted in-between. This is then finished with a
vapour check plasterboard and all edges and joints sealed for
air-tightness. The system has been designed to simplify the process
of upgrading solid masonry walls, while delivering high levels of
thermal performance and can be installed by any competent builder.
Although the IWI system is applied internally, to achieve current
building regulations only 75mm of insulation is required, so very
little space is lost – a small price to pay considering the
long-term thermal payback.
As well providing an effective energy consumption solution, the IWI
system benefits from unparalleled environmental credentials in its
own right. Part of Knauf Insulation’s Earthwool range of glass
mineral wool products, it is made using ECOSE Technology – a
groundbreaking formaldehyde-free binding process, derived from
rapidly renewable, bio based materials instead of traditional petro-based
chemicals.
David Sherlock, Divisional Head for Solid Wall Insulation for
installers, Mark Group, comments: “Ecostud and Earthwool Ecobatt
provided a quick and easy to install option.” With that in place,
the walls were finished off using Polyfoam Linerboard and multi
purpose sealant.
For the loft space meanwhile, Knauf Insulation’s Earthwool Loft Roll
was specified. Compression packed for convenience, this expands on
opening and can be layered to the desired thickness for a really
effective thermal solution.
With the correct insulation in place, Christ Church was then able to
harness the full potential of ground source heat pumps and solar
water heating technology, and retain the benefits of using such
renewables. Christ Church is now eligible to a funding grant from
the Energy Savings Trust’s Green Communities programme.
Tony Morris reflects: “The whole project has been highly successful,
and the Knauf Insulation IWI system was a key component in this
success. We have new tenants in now, and though we have just gone
through one of the longest and hardest winters for some time, they
have indicated the property is very comfortable to live in.”
|
E-mail Knauf Insulation |
|