Flat Living WEBSITEGUIDE Energy LEASE YOURBLOCK MANAGE
CHARGES& ACCOUNTS
SERVICE MAINTENANCE &SAFETY HEALTH CASELAWDISPUTES EFFICIENCY ENERGY INSURANCE Fully funded cavity wall insulation
www.sus tain .co. uk | 01934 864210
Cosy and cost effective EnergyefficiencyspecialistsSustainexplainthevalueofgoodinsulation
WiththeGreenDealmaking theheadlinesonaregular basis, it is easy to getcaughtupinthe negative storiesandmiss the benefits. TheEnergyCompany Obligation (ECO)isalegal requirementonenergysuppliers to provide fundingfor the installation of energy efficiency measures.Whiledesignedto underpin theGreen Deal’s Golden Rule, this funding is also available to supportthe installation of measures outsidethe GreenDeal– forexample it canbeusedtofully fund cavitywall insulation for blocks of flats with threeormore storeys. Cavitywall insulation (CWI)is
oneofthe fundamentalmeasures that canbetaken toimprovethe thermalefficiencyofbuildings. If flatswere builtafter 1920,the chances arethattheyare suitable forcavitywallinsulation, keeping inwarmth to save energy and helpingreducecondensation. In an averageflat withoutCWI, approximately 35%oftotal heat loss is lost throughthewalls. Insulationmakesanimportant contribution to energy efficiency andcan reduce heatingcostsby 15%ormore. Aswell as benefits to residentsthispresentsagreat publicityopportunity forproperty managers. “It’sencouraging that access
equipmentcostsare included forbothinsulationand access equipmentcostsunderECO as threestoreyblocksare considered as hard to treat.Under thepreviousCERTand CESP
Flat Living Issue 15 All works are external
initiativeswesawthesecostsas themain barrier to insulation worksand thesehavenowbeen removed” comments KatieSwain, ECOmanager for Sustain. “Itisessential thereisclear
engagement with residents, as whileallworksare external there isaneed forarrangementstobe made forsafetychecksand Energy PerformanceCertificate(EPC) assessments.” Modernmaterialsand
installationmethodsare far removedfrom older, more problematicfoamsystems installedinthe 1970s,where performancehas reduced over
time.Today, allmaterials
andinstallationmethods are independentlytested and approved by theBritish Boardof Agrément (BBA). As moreinsulationcontractors
arecapitalising on offering this service, it’simportantfor propertymanagers andresident associations to beawareofthe opportunitythatECOpresents, butalsotobemindful of ensuring that thecontractorissuitably experiencedand qualified, and will carryout high qualitywork that adherestoECOguidelines. In order to accessECOfunding
allinstallersmustbeaccredited to thePAS2030 standard and usematerials to theapproved
Modernmaterials andinstallation methodsare farremoved from
older...foamsystems
standards.However, it isn’tjust theformalaccreditationsto watchout for;many insulation contractorshaven’t had experience of surveyinglarger buildingsand aretherefore not used toworkingatheight,for instance,orusing propermobile
accessequipment.Inthemajority of cases fullscaffoldingisnot necessary andthe useofaMEWP (MobileElevatedWorkPlatform) is easier,morecost-effective, andoffers theleastamount of disruption to allconcerned,but experience is still amust. With therequirementsof
theEPCsaspartofthe funded obligation andtheimprovement fromtheinsulationworks, carrying outcavitywall insulation will notonlyresultin benefitstothe residents, butalso providelandlordswithahead startagainst future legislation, whichfrom 2018 will prevent properties frombeingrented withoutanEPC rating of anEor better. Thebenefits of cavitywall
insulation aremulti-faceted,and nowthatthe cost barrier has been removed, therehas never beenabettertimetoinitiate works. Sustain offersafully funded
andmanaged programmeof cavitywall insulation forblocks of
flats.For furtherinformation,
please
visitwww.sustain.co.uk/ cavity-wall-insulation●
Toreadthis article in full,go
towww.flat-living.co.uk/ advice/891-energy-efficiency
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