refurbishment

Where fire sprinkler systems are being retro-fitted in social housing tower blocks and flats, Encasement’s Versa range provides a cost effective, durable and easy-fit solution when boxing-in surface mounted fire sprinkler pipework.

Manufactured as standard from pre-formed EUTR/UKTR compliant plywood, and pre-finished in a durable white melamine, Versa ‘L’ shaped boxing is available in either 5mm or 8mm thicknesses for use within flats, as well as communal areas, such as corridors and lift lobbies.

To aid compliance with sustainable building codes and relevant timber procurement policies, an FSC® ‘Chain of Custody’ certified option is also available as part of the Versa range.

Awareness around mould and damp amongst housing tenants is at an all-time high. A recent Housing Ombudsman spotlight report highlighted the need for all housing providers to ‘adopt a zero tolerance approach to damp and mould interventions’. 51% of renters surveyed have experienced damp and mould problems, according to a YouGov poll commissioned by Safeguard Europe.

Awareness of the potential health problems caused by lead in the water supply, particularly in infants and children is growing.  Houses built before 1970 would have been constructed with lead water supply pipes and if still in place can be causing developmental harm to young tenants.

Specialist commercial installer The Window Company (Contracts) has achieved PAS2030 accreditation, which is a requirement for installing windows and doors funded by any of the government’s energy efficiency schemes targeting retrofit projects. With only around 5% of UK window and door installers estimated to hold PAS2030, the company has joined a fairly exclusive club.

While the Green Homes Grant has been withdrawn from the domestic market in readiness for alternative plans aimed at greening the UK’s existing housing stock, landlords and housing providers in the commercial sector can still access funding through various government schemes, including the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF).

Leading British ventilation manufacturer, Vent-Axia, has donated ventilation units to local charity, Giving Back Crawley, as part of the refurbishment of its new base. A small charity that serves the local homeless community, Giving Back Crawley found a permanent place to operate from, including preparing and cooking hot meals, but the building needed a complete refurbishment following water damage. Vent-Axia supported this great cause with ventilation to help make the place a suitable home for the charity.

Vent-Axia was more than happy to help Giving Back Crawley. One of the company’s members of staff Linda Dawson regularly volunteers at the charity so was able to give a first-hand account of all the good work the charity does with helping the homeless in Crawley. Cooking and delivering over 100,000 meals in the last 18 months to those who need them most, Giving Back Crawley serves the homeless community in Crawley, West Sussex and is entirely run by volunteers. As well as serving their guests free meals, the charity provides the essential items they need to get by such as clothing, bedding and wellbeing items. Giving Back Crawley’s new base also allows them to run a free grocery shop and host regular health checks with paramedics.

A new name is emerging in the nascent spray foam insulation industry. Huntsman Building Solutions, part of the global chemicals giant, Huntsman Corporation, has been formed following the acquisition of three existing spray foam brands – Demilec, Lapolla and market leading UK and Republic of Ireland based system, Icynene.

The merging of these three brands under the Huntsman Building Solutions [HBS] title creates an organisation designed to bring innovative solutions to the market which had principally offered only traditional forms of building insulants such as mineral wool and rigid board-type products.

INCA, the Insulated Render and Cladding Association, is celebrating its 40th year and is now established as the leading organisation representing the external wall insulation industry. Technical standards and excellent workmanship are core to INCA’s values, with the annual INCA Awards event highlighting the best projects from the industry completed in the previous 12 months. The winning projects demonstrated a wide range of completed projects in both the refurbishment and new build sectors including many local authority and social housing schemes using a wide range of innovative finishes.