Passivlux opens in Brighton
Passivlux sell high end fenestration and have just opened in Brighton Marina. Passivlux grand re-opening
APU webinar on how to specify window reveal beads for external wall insulation (EWI)
External wall insulation (EWI) is likely to be one of the corner stones of the retrofit drive to reach zero carbon but requires careful detailing. One of the most critical elements is the reveal bead which seals the EWI to the window frame but many systems seem to rely on basic components potentially increasing the risk of failure. APU (often used as a generic name for reveal beads) are market leaders and will be discussing how to specify this critical item during a free webinar, open to all. Please register your interest with Peter.Joerimann@apu.ch (and cc me if you wopuld) and let him know if you’d like to receive samples in the post (which will greatly assist understanding during the webinar). The date of the webinar is TBC but will be in early March. Worthwhile waching this video which shows how the expanding foam tape allows greater movement.
Hove ‘Passivhaus’ is up!
The build continues a pace and is pretty much up. The timber and woodfibre insulation look fantastic in the sun. Some of the glazing panels are massive especially the two story panel to the atrium.
Victorian ‘EnerPHit’ Triple glazed sash
Today we installed the new bathroom window, and true to the retrofit mantra of doing it once and doing it right, the window is made from Accoya timber so is dimensionally stable and will last perhaps 60 years plus, the glazing is triple with krypton gas to reduce sash thickness, high performance airtight seals all round, concealed balances within the sashes (which are not visible at all) and reduce air leakage and cold bridging. This is a window developed over 2 years for another project and should be rolled out to the retrofit market! Manufacured by Westgate Joinery. Period detailing to match existing windows and you really can’t tell it’s super high performance. Beautiful installation of expanding foam airtightness to the frame.
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Victorian ‘EnerPHit’ EWI triple glazing
The Internorm triple glazed inward opening windows are performing as expected. Great flexibility with options to tilt (inwards at the top) for ventilation in the warmer months and the full turn for fully opening the window for access and cleaning. There’s also a trickle setting (with the handle set at 45 degrees) allowing background ventilation by just allowing the window to sit off the seals. The benefit here with retrofit is that rooms can be ventilated traditionally with the window providing trickle ventilation but if an MVHR is fitted at a later date then the window can be closed and there’s no trickle ventilator to solve either aesthetically or thermally. Great to wake up on a cold winters day and have condensation on the outside of the triple glazing – a sure sign that very little heat is being lost through the glass! You can see from the image that the condensation evaporates around the edge of the glass first where the spacers/frame are less thermally efficient than the glass itself. Great to see all the theory become reality.
