Refurbishment: Social Housing: High Rise Flats
Winner: Crossbank & Summervale Houses, Oldham

The Crossbank and Summervale Houses, off Vale Drive, Manchester Road, Oldham, were a pair of 1970's blocks in urgent need of repair and upgrading to current Building Regulations. Prominently placed on a hill with dark render, they were refurbished with more subtle, less oppressive colours.

After the existing exposed aggregate cladding panels had been repaired and stabilised, the Dryvit Outsulation external wall insulation system was installed, including a 90mm layer of EPS insulation to provide a 0.28 W/m2K U-value.

Prior to the start of the contract, computer-enhanced photographs showed how the building would look, and pull-off tests were conducted on site to ensure the aggregate panels would accept the live and static loads and the fixing method would exceed typical wind loading requirements. Residents chose a modern blue and white finish with an anti-carbonation protective coating.

The overcladding took a year to complete at a cost of £2.6M. The specifier was First Choice Homes Oldham, acting for Oldham Metropolitan Council, and the main contractor was Emanuel Whittaker. System designer, Dryvit UK Ltd; and installer, Insulclad (Europe) Ltd, are both members of INCA.