Knauf Insulation’s innovative ThermoShell Internal Wall Insulation (IWI) system has been installed in a pre 1919 hard-to-treat property, as part of a retrofit project carried out by St Vincent’s Housing Association to provide a ‘Cosy Home’ learning centre for the community, and has helped to reduce utility costs by 75 per cent.
In conjunction with Bolton at Home, St Vincent’s received funding from LEAF (Local Energy Assessment Fund) and a grant to carry out an eco-home project at a terraced property next door to the Urban Care Centre in Farnworth.
The ‘Cosy Home’ is a learning centre to help people find out how they can save money in their own homes. The project also helped to give guidance and recommendations to customers considering the Green Deal; showing the measures that can be taken to improve their home’s efficiency and reduce their energy use and CO2 emissions.
Callum Jones, Development and Sustainability Officer at St Vincent’s, commented: “The main aim of this project was to demonstrate to the local community how they can save money in their own homes and reduce fuel poverty. By taking a fabric first approach and with the installation of the latest feasible green technologies, we were able to bring the terraced property up to 21st century standards.
“We decided to take a fabric first approach as insulation is the key to improving the energy efficiency of properties. We have worked with Knauf Insulation’s IWI system before and several of our colleagues have previously attended Knauf Insulation’s ThermoShell Training Academy to become approved installers, so we decided this was the best solution to upgrade the solid walls. What’s more, the IWI system meant we could keep the façade of the property the same as the surrounding homes.
“By installing Knauf Insulation’s IWI system and green technologies such as ‘A’ rated double glazed windows and an ‘A’ rated combi boiler, we have reduced fuel costs by almost three quarters from £883 to £232 per year and CO2 emissions from 5.20 tonnes to 1.90 tonnes per year – which is excellent.”
Specifically designed for upgrading solid wall properties, Knauf Insulation’s ThermoShell IWI system is BBA certified and provides the most effective solution to ‘whole house-low energy’ refurbishments, by delivering outstanding thermal performance and comfort through a very straightforward and easy to use installation process.
Thanks to its excellent thermal performance, St Vincent’s ‘Cosy Home’ has managed to improve the U-values of the walls of the property significantly. For example the U-value of the external walls has gone from 2.0 W/m2K to 0.2 W/m2K.
The use of thermally engineered insulated studs (EcoStud) eliminates the thermal bridging issue associated with traditional systems incorporating timber and metal studs. The extruded polystyrene content (XPS) of EcoStuds provides a high level of thermal and moisture resistance, as well as offering a high level of compressive strength.
The system incorporates Earthwool EcoBatts, high performance, water repellent glass mineral wool slabs, that are friction fitted between the EcoStuds to completely fill the available space and deliver benefits over other systems that use rigid insulation boards, which have the potential to cause air leakage if they are not cut accurately to fill the inter stud space. Overall, the ThermoShell IWI system is almost 13 per cent more thermally efficient than a timber stud system of the same thickness.
Callum continued: “With cost savings and fuel reductions like this, it really does prove to homeowners that by retrofitting their properties fully or by just installing insulation they will be able to save a significant amount of money and also contribute to protecting after the environment.”
