The Building Envelope

The Edison and Davenport Court reclad project in Croydon involved the refurbishment of these residential buildings to improve safety and aesthetics. The project was initiated to replace non-compliant cladding ACM cladding, following updated building regulations introduced after the Grenfell Tower fire.

The recladding process involved removing the old cladding, installing new insulation, and fitting the new panels. This project aimed to ensure the buildings met current safety standards while also providing a modern and attractive exterior.

Empire View and Gantry Court are nine-storey residential blocks close to the centre of Southampton. Due to fire safety concerns, in 2021 works began to replace the existing bricks works, replacing with a rainscreen cladding system.

EJOT’s range of innovative PVC profiles can play a key role in minimising the risk of cracks developing around window and door frames in rendered external wall insulation (EWI) systems, thus reducing one of the most commonly reported issues by property owners and tenants.
The fastening systems specialist has developed an extensive range of profiles and beads for EWI systems, also referred to as ETICS (external thermal insulation composite systems), which enable the creation of high quality facades with precise edges and optimum lifetime performance. 

Wetherby Wall Systems, part of the ROCKWOOL Group, is delighted to announce the launch of SOQEL A2, a fully compliant, impact-resistant, and moisture-protected External Wall Insulation (EWI) system designed for below damp-proof course (DPC) applications.

As building safety regulations become increasingly stringent, Shelforce combines unparalleled fire door manufacturing expertise with deep local authority insight to deliver compliant, high-performance solutions for social housing projects.

Fire doors are meticulously engineered safety devices that play a crucial role in the fire safety of a building. For local authorities, compromising on building safety is never an option; as government-funded organisations setting standards for the wider housing sector, selecting the right fire door solution for replacement projects demands unwavering commitment to safety compliance to make sure tenants are properly protected. 

As Business Manager of Shelforce, Howard Trotter has extensive experience of manufacturing and supplying windows, doors and fire doors to housing associations. Here, he discusses the challenges and opportunities facing the sector in 2025 and beyond.

Some industry professionals are campaigning for a consistent approach to monitoring and even limiting projects’ embodied carbon in the built environment. We report.