Improving thermal efficiency for Peterborough high-rise
Situated in the centre of Peterborough is Cumberland House – a 12-storey block of 70 self-contained flats. It is the only high-rise building owned and managed by Peterborough-based housing association Cross Keys Homes.
Given the increasing pressure on social housing landlords to upgrade the energy efficiency of their stock, the affordable housing provider is upgrading all its homes to achieve future thermal and safety standards.
As part of this, a new external wall insulation (EWI) system was installed at Cumberland House, replacing the existing insulation with a non-combustible solution.
The aim was to enhance the appearance and safety of the block as well as extend its viable life, while giving residents a better quality of life and reducing their energy bills.
webertherm XM – a high-performance EWI protected by meshcloth-reinforced polymer renders – was specified. The traditional multi-layered system improves the thermal performance and interior comfort of homes.
As a Weber-recommended applicator, Cornerstone East Anglia was responsible for installing the new system. Work was phased carefully and the block divided into six elevations. Scaffolding was used for each elevation to allow all external works to be completed before it was taken down and re-positioned for the next elevation.
Each phase involved stripping the existing external wall system, fitting new windows, core drilling and installing new ventilation systems. This was followed by injecting cavity wall insulation to improve the U-Value of the building, before the new EWI system was applied.
Weber’s technical team delivered toolbox talks to Cornerstone’s team to support them in the best practice application of the 3,000sqm mineral fibre system.
The EWI system installed comprises 110mm of webertherm MFD – a mineral fibre insulation which is not only non-combustible but will also improve the acoustic performance of the fabric.
This is protected with a 6mm-thick meshcloth reinforced coat of weberend LAC rapid – a rapid-drying, polymer-modified adhesive render. Ideal for fast-track installation, weberend LAC rapid is formulated to be hand or spray applied and is white in colour – eliminating the need for a primer and the application and curing time associated.
To complete the system, webersil TF – a textured silicone thin coat render – in Willow was applied. The recess areas underneath the new windows were specified slightly differently, having been insulated with 100mm of webertherm MFD and finished with webersil TF in Earth.
The ground floor level was completed with 200sqm of weberwall brick in Antique Red Multi for an authentic, durable brick-effect finish that is over three times faster to apply than traditional brick slips.
Each finish not only made Cumberland House look cleaner and more attractive but also generated excellent thermal efficiency; the external walls of the building now achieve an improved U-value of 0.21 W/m2K (by calculation), helping to keep residents warm while reducing fuel bills.
