BUILDING ENVELOPE


Sealing your future


Windows are one of the most important elements of any property, so effectiely sealing them for optimum long term energy efficiency must be a top priority, says ndy Swift of SO-Chemie


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he success of a renovation or self- build proect can be defined by the choice of windows and doors. Get it right and the property can look superb adding real alue for years to come. However, pursue the wrong route and the disappointment can linger for years. The same can be said of how the units are sealed. Indeed, while there have been advances in glass and frame technology in recent years, way too many proects are being let down by poor or ill- equipped window and door installations.


BUILDING REGULATIONS


Changes to Part L of the Building Regulations, which came into effect earlier this year, place the emphasis on stricter standards and compliance procedures around energy and ventilation performance, contributing towards a roadmap to a net zero carbon future and properties designed and built in-line with stricter carbon emissions targets. Specifically, to ensure continuity of the air barrier, window and door units will hae to connect to the primary air barrier and the frames will need to be taped to surrounding structural openings using air sealing tape.


This comes against a landscape where evidence points to doors and windows as the main source of continuing energy inefficient properties. ndeed, in the light of product innoation oer the years, it’s almost criminal that the hundreds of thousands of self-build or retrofit installations completed each year go unchecked or unregulated. This is a pity because with adancements in cost effectie, easy-to-use technologies, there isnt a ustifiable reason for delaying or aoiding the specification and installation of better sealing solutions. The new Part L is to be welcomed, and sees requirements for improvements in air tightness, forcing it from 10 air changes per hour down to 8 air changes per hour and also U-value on windows shifting from 1.6 to 1.2 W/m2


K. This may/jun 2023


Innovative sealing technologies are undoubtedly a beneficial way to help self-builders and renovators have the energy efficient homes we all want


places an onus on using more energy efficient sealant solutions and the requirement that the window frame should be linked back to the wall with an air-tight tape.


eat will always find the fastest eit as it meets the ‘A’ or ‘A+’ rated window, and inariably this emanates from the  mm or so epansion gap left around the window following fitting. This is normally left empty, but an amount of spray foam can be inected to fill the void before a silicone trim is applied for a smart looking finish. nfortunately, as epedient as this might seem, none of these solutions create a measurable, long term, high performance thermal, acoustic or airtight barrier – the U-value of the installed window is simply reduced, which leads to heat escape and,


ultimately, financial losses. Thats why the property and building sectors deserve better insulating solutions to improe energy efficiencies, especially if as predicted, the  market stays buoyant oer the net  months as the economy continues to recoer from the pandemic and building and construction actiity remains busy, particular in the face of a chronic national housing shortage and the need to build more affordable housing. Modular construction, which is gaining increasing traction, is seeing continued integration with the more traditional methods of building, enabling self-builders to bring forward proects more epediently. Designers and specifiers are looking at eer more epeditious ways to delier low


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