The thermal and sustainable benefits of cork insulation were key in its specification for a unique social housing refurbishment scheme in Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Staffordshire – the first significant use of Cork EWI on social housing in the UK.

Managed by Aspire Housing Association, the 54 Cussins properties on the Staffordshire scheme were constructed after the Second World War to a non-traditional design with steel frames. The engineers and project managers, Michael Dyson Associates Ltd, carried out initial surveys to determine the condition of the properties and specified Alumasc’s Swisspan External Wall Insulation system with 50mm Cork panels, which was installed by Alumasc’s approved installer Transcast.

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Cork is designated an A+ rating in the Green Guide to Specification for maximum benefit in BREEAM and Code for Sustainable Homes assessments and when used with Alumasc's External Wall Insulation systems, the result is a high performance façade that offers all the benefits of an insulated render system, but with enhanced environmental credentials.

Jeff Collett, Associate Director of Michael Dyson Associates Ltd, commented: "We have been taking a keen interest in the development of sustainable insulation for quite some time and were aware of cork’s potential. We considered a number of insulation materials for the Aspire homes and decided that Cork met the performance requirements as well as being the obvious sustainable choice."

Cork insulation can be used in conjunction with all Alumasc EWI systems and the Cork/Swisspan system at Aspire has increased the homes’ energy efficiency levels to the required u-value of 0.35W/m2K, creating a warmer, more attractive place for residents to live.

(CD/GK)