With a UK housing stock that doesn’t fare well in comparison to other European countries on energy efficiency, what is the solution to the UK’s thermal failings? Simon Blackham from Recticel Insulation explains how the industry is playing catch up
Domestic energy use, which is partly driven by poorly insulated homes, remains a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Properties not living up to design expectations is a factor in UK homes stock falling short in terms of energy standards. The resulting Performance Gap could provide a challenge to the Government’s 2050 net zero pledge, particularly as a 2021 National Housing Federation report revealed poor insulation was a contributor to England’s homes producing more carbon emissions each year than was emitted by all cars in the country.
A failure to maintain consistent best building practices at crucial stages of the construction process remains an industry concern. The ‘swapping out’ of specified products mid-construction, for example, not only increases the risk of a costly retrofit requirement to bring a property in line with regulation energy standards, it could also compromise a building’s structural integrity and the occupants’ safety. A poorly conceived building envelope is the main cause of defects such as condensation and mould formation, which poses a health risk to elderly and child occupants with weaker lungs and vulnerable immune systems.
Platforms such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) may help eradicate the negative impact of product substitution. The technology adds a much-needed layer of transparency to the build process and chimes with Dame Judith Hackitt’s call for a ‘Golden Thread’ of information as part of her post-Grenfell report into the fire safety of buildings.
Cracking the Code to informed specification
Dame Judith Hackitt’s much-lauded report has also led to the development of The Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI), which is being introduced to help manufacturers provide transparent and accessible information on what their products are designed to achieve and how they are used safely. Initiated by the Construction Products Association’s Marketing Integrity Group following an industry-wide consultation, the Code is designed to ensure building product information is clear, accurate, current, accessible and unambiguous.
It is hoped that by applying these well-defined tenets to the way data is set out, building professionals will be able to make better, more informed decisions when it comes to the product specification process. In turn, homeowners can have peace of mind that their buildings are constructed to higher standards, with products that have correct information and are being used in an appropriate way.
The Code could also have a key role to play in supporting the next generation of construction workers. A report by the Construction Skills Network (CSN) estimated the UK construction industry needs to recruit an additional 217,000 employees by 2025 in order to meet the country’s building demands. The skills shortfall, which has blighted the building sector for a number of years, has been heightened by a post-Brexit exodus of EU workers. This, along with the global building materials shortage, threatens to jeopardise the Government’s pledge to build 300,000 homes per year to solve the country’s property crisis.
A new workforce takes time to fully acquire the skills and experience gained by seasoned colleagues. Therefore, additional support provided by initiatives such as The Code for Construction Product Information, which make clear a product’s intended use and outcomes, can only bolster a new recruit’s confidence in terms of the specification, installation and decision-making process. Ideally, the far-reaching benefit of such action is an improvement in building standards while a new generation of construction workers learns their trade.
Supply chain collaboration – the key to achieving as-designed building performance
Aside from improving the way their product data is presented, manufacturers can play a significant role in helping educate the next generation of construction workers. For example, our technical team will be able to assist a contractor or architect and advise on their needs to guarantee their building project meets performance expectations.
We also have a dedicated training hub to educate a new generation of roofing specialists in respect of best flat roofing practice. The Gradient Training Centre, based at our manufacturing HQ in Burntwood, Staffordshire, uses a range of Gradient flat roofing solutions to instil attendees with the highest standards of flat roof installation and safety.
Furthermore, we have produced a series of RIBA-approved CPDs which are designed for all building professionals to stay up-to-date and compliant with Building Regulations requirements. This has particular relevance, with Part L of the Building Regulations – which relates to insulation – undergoing its biggest series of changes, working its way towards more changes with the Future Homes Standard.
If ‘built as intended’ is to become a phrase more readily applied to our future housing stock, each element of the building supply chain must support training programmes to increase the skills of our current and future workforce. With education being key to improved building standards, then CCPI could prove to be an effective spin-off from the Golden Thread.
Simon Blackham is senior technical manager at Recticel Insulation