INSULATION ACTIS ADDS ITS VOICE TO NHIC’S T


he National Home Improvement Council is determned to drive innovation and raise standards across the home improvement industry.


Insulation specialist Actis is using its membership of the organisation to add its voice to the call, and take part in discussions which help shape industry policies and standards and look at vital issues such as carbon reduction targets and compliance.


Actis is encouraging fellow industry members to become more sustainable. With a mantra of ‘doing more with less’ it aims to enable builders to construct thermally efficient properties with minimal impact on the environment.


In fact, Actis’ nature-inspired Hybris insulation has become the only reflective insulation in Europe to have earned international Cradle to Cradle Certified®


Certification.


The bronze level accreditation, awarded by global circular economy organisation, the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, saw


WORST HOUSE ON THE STREET RESCUED BY ROCKWOOL


A renovation project featured on Channel 4’s TV programme Worst House on the Street last month had its energy efficiency improved by the use of ROCKWOOL®


stone wool insulation.


Friends Bradley Dodic and Billy Parsons took a fabric-first approach to modernise their 1930s semi-detached home in Exhall, Warwickshire, resulting in improved thermal comfort, enhanced acoustics and a marked uplift in energy efficiency.


Faced with rising energy costs and a house in need of complete renovation, the pair prioritised insulation as a core component of their build strategy. Dodic says: “It was in quite a bad state when we bought it. It was dark and dingy but we saw the potential to bring it into 2023, and add a side extension to create a fourth bedroom. One of the biggest challenges today for homeowners like us is the cost of living, so we wanted to keep our energy bills as low as possible.” To improve the thermal envelope of the new extension, the pair specified 150mm of NyRock®


Cavity Slab 032, used alongside


plasterboard on dabs to help meet a minimum U-value of 0.18 W/m²K. NyRock Cavity Slab 032 is BBA certified and developed using patented NyRock technology, offering a low thermal conductivity of 0.032 W/ mK. This allows the required thermal performance to be achieved with a thinner profile than standard stone wool alternatives. The extension’s flat roof was insulated using 150mm of ROCKWOOL Hardrock® Multi-Fix (DD), a high-density, non-combustible board that enhances thermal performance and helps control sound transmission. For the floors, 150mm of dual-density Thermal RockFloor®


was installed to


maximise underfoot comfort and retain warmth. Acoustic insulation was also important in the internal fit-out. “As friends living under one roof, we wanted to improve acoustics and


May 2025 www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net


dampen noise within the house. To help, we used ROCKWOOL Sound Insulation Slab,” says Dodic.


Sound Insulation Slab’s high density and


non-directional fibre orientation help absorb sound waves and vibrations. The product was also flexible enough to accommodate the property’s non-standard joist spacings.


The pair also worked with Wetherby Building Systems to apply an external wall insulation system using ROCKWOOL External Wall (DD) Slab, finished with Wetherby Four Seasons silicone render. Made with ROCKWOOL dual density technology, the slab features a firmer outer surface for secure fixings and render application.


“We’ve been really impressed with the products and support from ROCKWOOL,” Dodic says. “We have both been hands-on with the project, and we’ve all been amazed at how easy the products are to work with. I didn’t realise stone wool could be cut so easily with an insulation knife.


“ROCKWOOL’s technical service team were really helpful. Not only did they make sure the insulation would deliver the correct U-values we needed, but they helped me respond to queries from Building Control with datasheets and information, which ended up being make or break for our build timeline.”


Now complete, the home has achieved a notable uplift in energy performance; a further SAP [Standard Assessment Procedure] assessment, has moved it from a low D to two marks off a B. BMJ


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CARBON REDUCTION CAMPAIGN Insulation specialist Actis is putting its weight behind an organisation which campaigns for more energy and water efficient homes across the UK.


Hybris measured against five rigorous criteria - product circularity, material health, clean air and climate protection, water and soil stewardship and social fairness.


In addition to the eco-credentials of its own products and processes, Actis is on a mission to help specifiers, architects and builders reduce their environmental footprint in line with the forthcoming Future Homes Standard, in part via its two RIBA-approved CPD modules. Tomorrow’s Insulation Solutions for Future Homes Standards and Addressing the Performance Gap with Reflective Insulation give guidance on how to meet energy efficiency targets and achieve as-built performance. Since its foundation in 1975, NHIC has been the leading voice for home improvement, repair, and maintenance, driving innovation, raising standards, and fostering collaboration across the industry. BMJ


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