EXTERNAL ENVELOPE 61
Airing ventilated cladding’s healthy set of benefits
Rockpanel’s Mark Snowden outlines the benefits of ventilated cladding buildups, in terms of the affect on fire safety performance in the wake of Grenfell Tower, as well as how such systems can benefit internal environmental quality in projects
T
he Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 marked a defining moment in the public’s consciousness regarding the fire safety of materials and systems used in the external cladding of new and renovated high-rise structures. Also brought into stark focus were issues concerning compliance and interpretation of fire regs and Building Regulations and how they impact on the materials originally specified for a project compared to what was, in reality, used. In England, changes to fire regulations regarding residential and ‘institutional’ buildings over 18 metres made it mandatory that all components in the external wall meet or exceed EN13501 Class A2-s1,d0, with guidance that those of 11 metres also adhere to the same specification. Furthermore, in Scotland, recent changes in legislation state that only non-combustible systems, using materials classified as A1 and A2-s1, d0, are permitted on high-rise domestic and select high-risk buildings (including hospitals, care homes and entertainment complexes) over 11 metres.
Ventilated facades
A ventilated facade is a construction with an air gap between the insulation and the cladding. This gap is open at the top and bottom of the facade and the cladding panels have small open joints between them. A ventilated facade can be viewed as a raincoat: it protects a building against the elements while at the same time helping maintain a healthy indoor climate. This is why the building technique of ventilated facades is often referred to as rainscreen cladding.
This type of external cladding offers many advantages, both in new build and retrofit refurbishment projects. A ventilated
ADF SEPTEMBER 2023
facade is lighter and quicker to install than other options, leading to savings in construction costs. Individual panels can be demounted easily for maintenance and the whole facade can be replaced with the least inconvenience to the building’s inhabitants. Once in place, a ventilated facade reduces the direct solar impact on the building, resulting in a healthier indoor
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