Specified by architects, Wellwood Leslie, for Abertay Housing Association, which owns and manages the development, the NBT Diffutherm and Pavatherm Plus insulation boards were selected for their ability to deliver ultra high levels of thermal performance combined with the products’ sustainability credentials and their inherent breathability, which helps to protect both the building fabric and the internal living environment.
According to Abertay Housing Association’s Development Director, Ron McArthur: “In providing housing for, often, vulnerable individuals, health promotion and the elimination of fuel poverty are primary factors. The combination of mechanical ventilation with the breathable insulation solutions promotes a healthy internal environment by regulating moisture and air. By installing insulation far beyond current minimum building standards, we have delivered the ability for our residents to drastically reduce their heating demand, thereby minimising their heating bills.”
All of the homes are finished externally with a combination of NBT render and larch timber cladding. The timber clad sections of the walls are insulated with 60mm thick Pavatherm Plus woodfibre boards externally, with additional insulation installed between the 140mm timber studs, delivering a U-value of just 0.20 W/m2K. The rendered areas, where the render is applied directly onto the 100mm thick NBT Diffutherm boards, deliver a U-value of 0.17 W/m2K.
The homes’ roofs feature a tile finish and also accommodate solar panels for hot water heating. Off-peak electricity is used to satisfy the homes’ entire space heating needs.