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Breakthrough in roofing U-values now available in Ireland
A new house has used the Smartroof system to improve its thermal performance, reducing its U-values to near unprecedented levels.
The building, called ‘The Green House’ has been built by Barratt Homes and located at the BRE’s testing centre outside Watford in England, demonstrates the latest in high-thermal insulation techniques. In the house the Smartroof panellised roof system has just been rated with a u-value of 0.09W/m2K.
The house, designed by architects Gaunt Francis, is apparently the first UK house that meets the UK Government's zero carbon criteria and is also suitable for volume production. The exact Smartroof system used in the house is now available in Ireland.
Smartroof’s David Himmons explained to Construct Ireland that flexibility was the key to the product’s success: “This particular roof at 0.09 has been installed in the first carbon neutral house built by a major developer,” he said. “You can use any amount of insulation with it.”
The house on the BRE site makes use of 200 millimetres of PIR board from Celotex, a rigid foam thermal insulation. “The point is we can, if required, get an exceptional U-value,” said Himmons.
Alternative insulation products include mineral wool and sheep wool.
Alongside the good U-values Smartroof offers other benefits including ease-of-install while the system is also ideal for air-tightness, an increasing concern among sustainable builders as Noel Naughton of Smartroof Ireland told Construct Ireland: “As a panellised system it’s inherently air-tight.”
Smartroof has carried out independent tests with Chiltern Dynamics to prove that the interlocking design of the panels has inherent advantages in ensuring the air-tightness of the completed structure. A recent traditional build scheme utilising Smartroof achieved 2.40 M3/H/M2 at 50 Pa.
The patented interlocking panel system requires reduced on-site carpentry skills and can be installed by a small team in a short time. “Smartroof is a pre-insulated panellised roof system developed with townhouses in mind,” said Naughton, who is the licenced manufacturer of Smartroof in Ireland.
According to Naughton the key benefits of Smartroof match-up with contemporary expectations in the housing market: “People are increasingly looking for sustainable buildings and lower U-values.”
The house, designed by architects Gaunt Francis, is apparently the first UK house that meets the UK Government's zero carbon criteria and is also suitable for volume production. The exact Smartroof system used in the house is now available in Ireland.
Smartroof’s David Himmons explained to Construct Ireland that flexibility was the key to the product’s success: “This particular roof at 0.09 has been installed in the first carbon neutral house built by a major developer,” he said. “You can use any amount of insulation with it.”
The house on the BRE site makes use of 200 millimetres of PIR board from Celotex, a rigid foam thermal insulation. “The point is we can, if required, get an exceptional U-value,” said Himmons.
Alternative insulation products include mineral wool and sheep wool.
Alongside the good U-values Smartroof offers other benefits including ease-of-install while the system is also ideal for air-tightness, an increasing concern among sustainable builders as Noel Naughton of Smartroof Ireland told Construct Ireland: “As a panellised system it’s inherently air-tight.”
Smartroof has carried out independent tests with Chiltern Dynamics to prove that the interlocking design of the panels has inherent advantages in ensuring the air-tightness of the completed structure. A recent traditional build scheme utilising Smartroof achieved 2.40 M3/H/M2 at 50 Pa.
The patented interlocking panel system requires reduced on-site carpentry skills and can be installed by a small team in a short time. “Smartroof is a pre-insulated panellised roof system developed with townhouses in mind,” said Naughton, who is the licenced manufacturer of Smartroof in Ireland.
According to Naughton the key benefits of Smartroof match-up with contemporary expectations in the housing market: “People are increasingly looking for sustainable buildings and lower U-values.”
The Smartroof system being installed at ‘The Green House’ at the BRE complex in Garston
Last modified on Tuesday, 04 March 2008 22:17
