SCHÖCK ISOKORB FOR
LARGEST UK PASSIVHAUS
DEVELOPMENT
Claimed to be the largest Passivhaus development to date in the UK
and Camden Council’s largest community investment project, Agar
Grove Estate, in North West London, is undergoing a six-phase major
regeneration, due for completion in 2025.
It will deliver 493 new
high-quality homes for existing residents, with maisonettes and
gardens at ground level and apartments with full-width balconies on
the higher floors.
The project is to Passivhaus standard, meeting
demanding levels of sustainability and energy efficiency.
So the insulation to the thermal envelope results in
exceptional levels of airtightness. A critical requirement
here being the avoidance of thermal bridging, a frequent
cause of increased heat and energy loss, condensation
and possibly mould growth.
TOTALLY VERIFIABLE PERFORMANCE
The Schöck product types used at Agar Grove are for
concrete-to-concrete connectivity and for wrapped
parapets. But the comprehensive Isokorb range also offers
solutions for concrete-to-steel and steel-to-steel. When
any Isokorb type is incorporated into residential buildings,
the required fRsi value – the temperature factor used to
indicate condensation risk that must be equal to or greater
than 0.75 – is always comfortably met.
Products meet
full compliance with the relevant UK building regulations,
have NHBC approval and offer LABC Registration. There is
also the security of independent BBA Certification.
Contact Schöck on 01865 290 890; or visit the website at www.
schoeck.co.uk for a free copy of the Schöck Thermal Bridging
Guide; the Schöck Specifiers Guide and to view the full range of
downloadable software.
THERMAL RISK IS AT BALCONY AND PARAPET
CONNECTIONS
The risk of thermal bridging is primarily at connectivity
points involving the balconies and parapets; and one
of the most technically advanced countermeasures is
the Isokorb range of structural thermal breaks from Schöck. For the
balconies, the Isokorb type used transfers both negative moments and
positive shear forces. It has been awarded the “low thermal bridge
construction” certificate by the Passivhaus Institute in Darmstadt,
verifying its suitability for Passivhaus construction.
With parapets, the conventional insulation method is to wrap the
perimeter of the wall with an insulation barrier – but with the Schöck
Isokorb designed for parapets, there is no wrapping required It is more
cost-effective and more thermally efficient than conventional wrapping
and its 120mm insulation dramatically reduces heat loss. There is no
risk of any additional thermal bridging through balustrade fixings –
and other key benefits are durability and water impermeability. The
Isokorb does not require maintenance and there is no risk
of expensive restoration due to waterproofing problems.