INCA Case Study: Fishwick EWI Ph 1, Preston

For a large-scale refurbishment project which showcases technical excellence and unrivalled ability to transform under-performing and aesthetically underwhelming residential properties into comfortable, energy efficient dwellings, look no further than K Systems’ refurbishment, in partnership with Aldrock Consulting, Seddon, and Profac, of Fishwick estate in the North West of England.

On inspection, terraced houses in the Fishwick estate were deemed not fit for purpose as they:

• Had damp issues due to insufficient ventilation
• Poor thermal performance
• Damaged and dated exterior due to long term exposure to the North West elements

Preston City Council, backed by The NEA (National Energy Action) charity which stepped in to fund the installation of mechanical ventilation and replacement EWI, tasked K Systems with transforming the entire housing estate and improving the living conditions for all residents.

Having worked with trusted partners Aldrock Consulting, Seddon, and Profac on numerous successful projects previously, K Systems knew that exact combination would be able to deliver this project to requirement, on time and on budget, and deliver 100% customer satisfaction.

 Solution, Specification and Results:

Dedicated to going above and beyond for its clients, K Systems offers extensive support from the concept to completion of all projects.

After a comprehensive scoping process taking into consideration client requirements, project objectives, budgets and timeframes, K Systems, alongside its partners, identified that the refurbishment of Fishwick would require the removal of the existing EWI and for it to be replaced with an appropriate alternative, without disrupting the aesthetic of the buildings or causing too much disruption to current residents during the project delivery.

The teams’ technicians witnessed the complete strip out of the existing 110mm EPS system and inspected the substrate thoroughly, coming to the conclusion that the K Systems E system was the ideal specification.

K Systems E is a high performance, light-weight External Wall Insulation (EWI) system based on expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulating panels which are extremely flexible and easy to install.

Additional benefits of the K System E which made it the perfect choice for the Fishwick refurbishment include:

• Great fire rating of B-s1,d0
• Economical value
• High resistance to mould growth
• Low moisture absorption

 K Systems specified a new 110mm EPS system to retain the line of the existing façade, whilst new flashings were fitted to the roof line to deliver robustness that was previously missing at each of the properties.

New ventilation equipment was incorporated  to the new properties by K Systems to work in conjunction with the EWI system to deliver optimal thermal performance and thermal comfort for residents – this was a vital component in ensuring the properties were completed to PAS2035 specification.

 New sills were also fitted to a number of the properties – further proving K Systems’ attention to detail and provision of finishing touches to ensure optimal performance and aesthetic, whilst Aldrock provided bespoke detailing for the abutment between existing properties with EWI and the new EWI install.

For the finish of the terraced housing in Fishwick, a high-performance thin coat silicone render was specified. K-Systems’ Silicone render provides numerous advantages including ease of application, and its hydrophobic properties make the render low maintenance.

Available in a wide range of colours, the topcoat finish used on the Fishwick project was an ivory shade, thereby matching the facades of surrounding buildings and complimenting the overall aesthetic of the area.

Completed Project:

The full refurbishment of Fishwick estate in Preston, completed in November 2022, is a prime example of K Systems’ ability to go above and beyond for its clients and deliver a market-leading refurbishment of a multi-site residential project, on time and to budget.

Fishwick estate was transformed from a range of terraced houses with an unsatisfactory living conditions rating to an attractive selection of energy efficient, warm, comfortable, robust, and visually appealing homes with u-value ratings of 0.30W/m²K, up from 2.0W/m²K– completely fulfilling Preston City Council’s requirements and aspirations.

 Testimonial:

 “Delivery of the Fishwick project required teams to work seamlessly together and have absolute trust in the other’s skill, vision, and judgement. That’s exactly what we had with K Systems, Seddon and Aldrock on the Fishwick project. In particular, the installation of the exemplar NEA (National Energy Action) specification. The team’s innate understanding of pairing systems with finishes for optimal performance delivered a best-in-class refurbishment.”

Kevin Gawtrey, Senior Building Surveyor, Aldrock Building Consultants