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 on
the ground floor and apartments
on the higher floors with full width
balconies.
As the project is to Passivhaus
standard, the development meets
the most demanding levels of
sustainability and energy efficiency.
High levels of insulation to the
thermal envelope mean exceptional
levels of airtightness and a critical
requirement here is the avoidance of
thermal bridging. A frequent cause
of increased heat and energy loss,
condensation and possibly mould
growth.
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.
Totally verifiable performance
The Schöck product types used at Agar
Grove are primarily for concrete-to-
concrete connectivity and for wrapped
parapets. But the comprehensive
Isokorb range also offers solutions
11
for concrete-to-steel and steel-to-
steel situations. When any Isokorb
product 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.