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INSULATION
Spray foam insulation chosen for the transformation of abandoned industrial buildings in Cumbria
S
pray foam insulation from Huntsman Building Solutions [HBS] has been used
in the transformation of a
collection of derelict industrial buildings into a stunning, architect-designed self-build home in rural Cumbria.
The buildings dated back to the late 18th century and once formed a mill producing blacking, a material used to coat the insides of casting moulds for a range iron goods, made at a nearby foundry.
Architect Robert Glass and his partner Ruth Grimshaw who now practice at Tape Design in Ulverston, had decided to move back to the South Lakeland area of Cumbria following years in the city. Robert had known about the site since his early 20’s and had always wanted to build a home there. In January 2015, they approached the owner and after fi nally gaining planning approval, bought the site in November 2017. The site was challenging with narrow, single-track access. A fast-fl owing beck which originally provided power for the mill ran through the site and the surrounding land was completely overgrown, almost reclaiming the tumble-down stone structures that had laid abandoned since the 1950’s. None-the-less, the potential was clear to Robert and Ruth and plans were drawn up to transform the buildings into one stunning,
four-bedroom home of 218sqm with a further 90sqm of workshop and offi ce facilities. A 90sqm roof terrace was incorporated into the main house structure, providing recreational space and views over the surrounding woodland canopy.
High performance insulation to minimise heat loss
A key criterion in the construction of the buildings was control of the internal environment to minimise heating costs, so achieving a high degree of air tightness and the incorporation of a mechanical ventilation and heat recovery system [MVHR] into the fi nished structure was required.
It is estimated that around 40% of a building’s heat loss is caused by air leakage – essentially draughts – so an insulation system that works to prevent air leakage, effectively creating a sealed environment was essential in order to minimise heat loss. Following detailed research, an open cell spray foam insulation solution from Huntsman Building Solutions [HBS] was chosen. Their H2 Foam Lite product not only promised outstanding levels of air tightness and thermal effi ciency but also allowed the building to “breathe” and move with the timber framed inner structure. Huntsman supplies its products exclusively
through a trained and authorised contractor network and the spray foam installation was handled by Preston based contractor Heatlok Insulation.
Greg Raby of Heatlok explained that HBS spray foam insulation systems were developed in Canada to cope with their severe winters and are now widely used in the UK in both the residential and commercial sectors. He also explained that spray foam insulation is an inherently elastic material so it moves with the building without cracking and causing gaps. It’s also able to fi ll the small voids in the structure where conventional rigid board insulations are almost impossible to fi t effectively.
Minimal environmental impact Unlike the urethane foams of 20 years ago, modern spray foams such as HBS H2 Foam Lite uses water as the blowing agent. This means that the reaction between the two components produces a small amount of CO2 which causes the foam to expand. Cells of the foam burst and the CO2 is replaced by air.
According to Huntsman Building Solutions, H2 Foam Lite E is currently the only spray foam insulation system to carry the prestigious BBA [British Board of Agrement] Certifi cation.
The original stone buildings had almost been reclaimed by the landscape
The site runs through a steeply wooded valley with a fast-fl owing beck that provided water power to the mill
ADF03_Icynene_Insulation_DPS-Adv.indd 2
WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK
17/02/2022 12:15 ADF MARCH 2022
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