Knauf Insulation has donated insulation products to a project in Norfolk assisted by CRASH, the construction and property industries’ charity for the homeless. The project involves the creation of four move-on flats for homeless young people.
The project, at Winston Court in North Walsham, is organised by Benjamin’s Building Company, part of The Benjamin Foundation. Benjamin’s Building Company is a social enterprise that works to create homes, training and employment opportunities for vulnerable people. The ambitious venture will see the development of four, self-contained accommodation units. Seeking help in this task, The Benjamin Foundation turned to CRASH for assistance in locating suppliers and materials.
Richard Draper, Founder and Chief Executive of the Benjamin Foundation, explains: “The aim of Benjamin’s Building Company is to help get people out into the world of work by gaining confidence, skills and experience. The move-on flats at Winston Court provide an opportunity for young homeless people to have a safe and secure place to live in, as well as the chance to live independent lives. The construction was carried out by previous service users - some of whom, have been residents at Winston Court. None of the people involved in the project have any previous construction experience. Help from manufacturers like Knauf Insulation has been invaluable.”
Knauf Insulation donated 24 rolls of 150mm Earthwool Loft Roll insulation, 48 rolls of 140mm Earthwool Rafter Roll 40 and 72 rolls of 110mm FrameTherm 32 for the project. These glass mineral wool insulation products are extremely easy to handle and install, being lightweight and easily cut to size, benefiting the large project. By its nature, Earthwool is non-combustible and classified as Euroclass A1 to BS EN ISO 13501-1, a crucial requirement to any public building.
Additionally, Earthwool insulation has been manufactured with ECOSE® Technology, and so benefits from a revolutionary, formaldehyde-free binder technology, based on rapidly renewable materials, instead of petro-based chemicals. It reduces embodied energy and delivers superior environmental sustainability.
The technology has been developed for Knauf Insulation’s glass and rock mineral wool products, enhancing their environmental credentials without affecting the thermal, acoustic or fire performance. Insulation products made with ECOSE Technology contain no dye or artificial colours – the colour is completely natural.
Nicola Baskerville, CRASH Project Coordinator, said: “This project is particularly interesting as it is about giving vulnerable people the opportunity to become actively involved in building their own futures. It will make a big difference to the lives of everyone involved and is only possible thanks to the help of suppliers and manufacturers such as Knauf Insulation. We are very grateful for their continued support.”
For more information on Knauf Insulation please visit www.knaufinsulation.co.uk