A fabric first approach to construction has been applied to a major new social housing development in Belfast to create healthy, sustainable homes. The scheme utilises roofing, ventilation and construction products from Glidevale Protect.
One of the largest mixed-tenure developments to be constructed in Northern Ireland to date, the new scheme for a leading social housing provider includes 244 homes, which are a mix of social and affordable housing, a community facility, a linear park and a children’s play park. Working with main contractor Kevin Watson Group, established Belfast-based roofing subcontractor Prentice Roofing and offsite manufacturers and installers of the timber frame panels Leadon Timber Frame, Glidevale Protect delivered a complete solution of products, ensuring the pitched roofs were both protected against wind uplift and water ingress as well as ventilated correctly to minimise condensation risk. This included fascia vents, eaves skirts, rafter rolls, as well as tile ventilation and ridge ventilation products — all designed to bring natural
ventilation into each building and help create healthy homes.
The Protect VP300 vapour permeable roofing underlay was specified to provide watertightness and weather protection with its wind uplift resistance creating a second line of defence to protect the homes from the elements. This was teamed with the universal dry fix ventilated ridge and hip system, Protect Fulmetal RediRoll, to provide a full cold roof solution of condensation control and provision of ventilation to the roofspace.
Increased airflow requirements
The heat recovery systems installed on some of the properties meant that some of the in-line tile ventilation units needed to have a higher than usual draw of air. Glidevale Protect’s technical team worked with Prentice Roofing to find a suitable product within its existing range. Versa-Tile TT13 exhaust air terminals were supplied to meet this increased airflow requirement and designed to blend in with the chosen roof tiles.
All the external timber frame walls were fitted with Protect TF200 Thermo, a low emissivity, insulating and reflective wall membrane, delivering enhanced thermal resistance to improve energy efficiency and the ideal example of a fabric first approach in action. The non-reflective external breather membrane, Protect TF200, was used on spandrel panels to provide weather protection during the construction as well as helping to avoid interstitial condensation risk within the construction.
Energy conservation
Completing the project were Glidevale cavity trays and airbricks as well as loft access hatches, which have been designed and engineered to meet the energy conservation and air leakage requirements of Building Regulations (Approved Documents L and C) with integral seals to significantly reduce water vapour migration into the loft space,
thereby reducing condensation risk.
Cornelius Ward, Director at Kevin Watson Group said: “In order to deliver the highest quality standards to meet client’s expectations, we like to collaborate with supply chain partners who can ensure our sub-contractors are provided with top performing building materials using a fabric first approach. Glidevale Protect’s wide breadth of
solutions used on this development meant full peace of mind during the construction process, helping to create energy-efficient and healthy homes.”
You can watch a video about the social housing project in Belfast here.
