INCA Case Study: Lovell Park, Leeds

Wetherby & Partners have transformed the Leeds skyline, significantly improving thermal efficiency with an A1 fire-rated façade system.

Three, 17-storey residential tower blocks: Lovell Park Grange, Lovell Park Heights and Lovell Park Towers in Little London are complete of major improvement works. With hundreds of flats set for a carbon-cutting, money saving future, thanks to the £25m energy efficiency improvements scheme and non-combustible EWI systems from Wetherby Building Systems ltd.

Funding was secured through the much-needed Social Housing Decarbonisation fund, which is providing a cash injection into England’s rented property market, with the rest of the cost being met by the council.

The project has included the reroofing of buildings and the installation of new external wall insulation and ventilation systems – which will reduce the amount of energy needed to heat individual flats. With the combined works, the average annual energy costs for each flat are expected to halve, while the amount of CO2 being produced by the average property is predicted to drop by around a third.

The primary objectives of the project were to: –

• Substantially reduce heating costs for residents
• Attain an A1 non-combustible fire rating
• Enhance thermal comfort for residents
• Provide a modern exterior finish

Systems, Solutions & Technical Advancements

All three tower blocks were upgraded with a Wetherby A1 External Wall Insulation System. Hamilton Building Contractors Ltd, a recognised contractor and member of INCA, diligently installed the ‘direct fix’ system on the towers. Wetherby Building Systems Ltd supplied the exemplary Wetherby A1 System, renowned for its A1 fire rating and setting new benchmarks in fire performance for external wall insulation, achieving outstanding results.

During the planning of the refurbishment program, Wetherby conducted wind load calculations and pull-out tests to identify the optimal fixings and washers needed to secure the A1 EWI system to the various substrates.

The system consisted of 100mm ROCKWOOL Stone Wool Insulation mechanically fixed directly to the brickwork substrate for most of the elevations, with 30mm Stone Wool used for reveals and recessed areas.

Stone Wool Insulation is a consistent density, high-strength, rock Stone Wool slab with a water-repellent additive specifically designed for use in external wall insulation systems. The board is then coated in Wetherby’s K+A A1 Scrim Adhesive. This is based predominantly on mineral and non-combustible raw materials such as quartz, limestone, cement, and lime, which ensures perfect adhesion between substrates and insulation boards.

The system was completed using Wetherby’s Heck ED Mineral Render and two coats of Heck Silicone Paint in a blend of contrasting colours. A predominant white hue adorned most of the elevations, complemented by accents of graphite grey, and a distinctive green shade applied to recessed areas across all three buildings to unify their appearance.

For the ground floor, a Wetherby Brick Slip finish was used in contrast to rendered areas and providing a robust darker finish for walkways.

Technical Challenges

Whilst the predominant building substrate consisted of brickwork, concrete panels were situated beneath each window, forming recessed areas. To harmonise the façade with the overall structure, these recessed sections were lined with double layers of Stone Wool Insulation. Initially, 30mm of insulation was securely affixed to the concrete surfaces using WBS Insulation Bedding Adhesive and R-FF1-N-08L080 fixings, accompanied by R-KC-60 Washers. Subsequently, an additional 100mm of insulation was installed in accordance with the remainder of the building, in readiness for the application of the render finish.

Logistic Challenges

Hamilton’s faced the challenging task of completing all three buildings simultaneously, rather than consecutively. This presented difficulties as some were within 100 feet of each other, with limited compound space for Wetherby to deliver materials and plan storage. The main contractor, Equans, ingeniously designed storage solutions for the EWI materials required across the entire project, facilitating seamless collaboration among multiple trades.

While this case study focused on Lovell towers, this was only 40% of the works taking place on a joint project, with 6 tower blocks being transformed at the same time with the same EWI system across Leeds including 17 storey Parkway Towers plus Parkway Court and Parkway Grange, both of which are 15 storeys.

Now complete, the average annual energy costs for each flat are expected to halve, while the amount of CO2 being produced by the average property is predicted to drop by around a third.

Wetherby Building Systems Ltd is honoured to have contributed to this landmark project, setting new standards in energy efficiency and fire safety for social housing. The Lovell Park project exemplifies the potential for innovative building solutions to enhance the quality of life for residents while supporting environmental sustainability.

Lovell Park Towers represents a remarkable achievement in transforming U-values. Initially, the project faced significant thermal inefficiency with U-values at 1.41 before refurbishment. Through meticulous planning and the implementation of advanced insulation strategies, we have successfully achieved an impressive U-value of 0.28. This substantial reduction signifies a substantial enhancement in energy efficiency for the benefit of the residents.

Matthew Storton, Site Manager at Lovell Park, added:

“This project was both challenging and rewarding and everyone pulled together to overcome any potential obstacles and deliver first class results.”

Sean Corcoran, regional director at Equans, said:

“The transformation of these flats will have a long-lasting positive impact on residents’ lives by making their homes more comfortable and reducing energy bills at a time when living costs are so high.

“Housing is one of the biggest contributors to the UK’s carbon emissions, so projects like this play a crucial role in improving the environment. We’re proud to be supporting the council in its ambitions to make Leeds a more sustainable place to live.”

Councillor Jess Lennox, Leeds City Council’s executive member for housing, said:

“We are determined to do everything we can to give communities across Leeds the kind of safe, warm and affordable social housing that can transform lives for the better.

“The work that has been taking place across these seven sites shows how we are delivering on that ambition.

“The scheme has been a real success story and, with many Leeds households currently experiencing fuel poverty, it’s particularly pleasing that it should help cut people’s energy bills.”