Refurbishment: Social Housing: High Rise Flats
Runner-up: Kirkgate Flats, Wakefield

Kirkgate Flats, George Street, Wakefield are four 14-storey tower blocks situated above the town centre Ridings Shopping Centre roof, which was unable to accommodate traditional scaffold systems. Careful consideration was given to health and safety issues, with an innovative fully enclosed scaffolding system, to avoid falling debris, suspended from the roof, working downwards by floor. The external wall insulation system, specified by Wakefield MBC, was installed over the existing structure, to avoid removing any render or concrete debris contaminating the local environment.

Nor was pebble-dashing a feasible option, due to the location, so these concrete frame buildings, with brick infill panels, were refurbished using 8000 m2 of Swisslab external wall insulation, incorporating 50 mm of phenolic insulation to achieve the U-value of 0.35W/m2K. Recesses within the building were fully insulated and rendered, extending the walls to a uniform level surface. Silkolitt silicone-based self-cleaning render was used, with colour consistency and fastness, firesafe, resistant to impact, weatherproof and requiring minimum maintenance. Insulated brick finish was used for contrasting feature panels. The system designer was Alumasc Exterior Building Products Ltd; and the installer SLK Contractors Ltd - both INCA members.