INCA Case Study: Thomas Row, North Wales

This retrofit project involved several energy efficiency improvements to ten properties for the client, Wales and West housing association and their residents.

Prior to the main works programme new windows and doors were fitted, then SERS were tasked with taking the traditional cavity brick properties and carrying out the following works to ensure the impact of the current cost of living crisis is significantly reduced for the residents:

SPS Enivrowall insulated render system to the main wall, using a 120mm grey EPS insulation board, a silicone finish, with acrylic brick slip features. To the main walls.

• The small areas below the dpc line were fitted with SPS Envirowall high density EPS board with a black bitumen paint finish.
• Roof line extension
• Solar PV panels
• Insulated electricity box covers
• New external canopies

Careful consideration was taken into account to provide installation to the INCA best practice guidelines, that we followed and work through with the client. This included ensuring sufficient plinth depth was provided, roof lines were extended to ensure sufficient EWI coverage and that insulation was provided behind porch roofs, and loft top up insulation provided in porch roofs too.

SPS Envirowall developed a best practice process with Wales and West regarding electrical isolation of properties and also worked closely with other contractors to significantly reduce programme and costs by utilising scaffold. We facilitated equipment to be mounted on walls by setting these out in advance of the EWI to ensure a roust fixing detail and minimize EWI system breaks.

Overall it has provided a vast improvement from before to after along the street scene in the area, with significant gains achieved for the tenants both in winter and summer from thermal gain and loss.

The works significantly improved the thermal performance of the properties, taking the u-value from 1.36 to 0.23. And means that the residents fuel bills will be significantly reduced .

In addition to achieving the main goals of improving the thermal efficiency of the properties and helping the residents fight the cost of living crisis the properties aesthetics were enhanced with by introducing grey acrylic brick slips as features, at party walls and solder courses beneath the windows. The colour choice was carefully considered by the client to ensure a contrast to the lighter coloured silicone finish.