Building more homes is higher on the agenda than ever before, but future-proofing must be top priority for management teams, explains William McDowell of Rockpanel Group.
Social housing tower blocks are easily one of the most controversial elements of post-war town planning. The buildings were originally envisioned as symbols “of the aspirations of the people of our age”*. However, as the focus quickly moved from quality to quantity, many of the blocks were completed to a poor standard and have rapidly decayed.
While the temptation to simply demolish and start afresh is strong, such an approach has serious implications in terms of cost, environmental impact and displacement of existing tenants. Large scale refurbishments offer an alternative way to breathe new life into these so called “sink estates”, and in order to reshape the attitudes of residents and the public at large, it is essential that high quality facade materials form part of the solution.
Effective protection
Rainscreen systems are amongst the most popular options for multi-unit housing refurbishments. When specifying facade boards for these systems, it is crucial to not only careful consider the look, but also the overall performance of the products. Issues such as poor weather resistance or weak durability can badly undermine the long-term effectiveness of the facing, leaving a building that looks badly aged before its time.
One way to avoid these issues is by selecting a facade manufactured from volcanic basalt rock. These boards are inherently insensitive to moisture and temperature, meaning there is no risk of them expanding or shrinking once installed and no need for additional waterproofing treatments. The products require only minimal maintenance and are colourfast, making it easy to keep buildings looking as good as new.
Facades manufactured using this process are light but extremely strong, this makes them easy to install at height while allowing them to be simply curved or bent on-site to meet the particular requirements of a project. The boards can also be easily adjusted with a standard selection of tools, making detailing a breeze.
Fire is another major consideration for both specifiers and installers, particularly on high-rise projects. Facade boards made from basalt rock are available in a range of enhanced fire safe specification up to Euroclass A2-s1,d0, giving assurance that they will deliver excellent fire performance.
In addition to their overall performance, the board material can also be specified in designs and finishes to meet virtually any aesthetic requirements including subtle natural tones, modern metallics and striking solid colours. Wood style facade boards are another increasingly popular option. These products are virtually indistinguishable from real wood, but provide a lighter and more durable external surface to the building, together with the benefits of excellent fire performance.
Case study
Lying to the north east of Manchester city centre, Collyhurst houses some of the most deprived communities in the country. As part of a 20-year regeneration plan for the area, four 1960’s council blocks – Humphries, Roach, Mossbrook and Vauxhall Court – were extensively refurbished by social landlords Northwards Housing in collaboration with Manchester Working.
The project team recognised at an early stage that the success of the scheme depended on resident buy-in. As a result, tenants were consulted on design choices throughout the project and were directly responsible in the choice of iridescent Rockpanel Chameleon facade boards as the new cladding material.
Rockpanel Group spent three days with tenants going through the benefits of the thermal upgrade, as well as looking at the choices of the various finishes that were on offer for the boards. CGIs (computer generated images) were created and printed onto mood boards with samples of the different products to help tenants to visualise how their building might look. The choice of boards was put to a democratic vote by the tenants only, as was the decision as to whether to include solar panels.
The Rockpanel Chameleon boards feature a unique crystal layer which makes them shimmer and seamlessly change colour depending on the angle of view or level of natural light. The lightweight boards were installed on two sides of the 13 storey blocks by Astley Facades UK. The graceful transition between shades of blue, green and purple form a beacon for regional regeneration which can be seen for miles around.
Rockpanel products were also specified for their sustainable credentials – they are produced from naturally occurring basalt rock using a highly efficient manufacturing process certified to ISO 14001. Rockpanel Durable and Durable ProtectPlus facade boards have also received best-in-class Green Guide Ratings of A+ in all 16 certified construction elements.
For facade products, sustainability is not simply about green credentials, but also the ability to sustain the desired appearance over the long-term. Rockpanel boards are colourfast and insensitive to moisture and temperature. This should allow the blocks to maintain their eye-catching appearance for years to come.
Looking forward
With the housing shortage once again placing housing associations under pressure to focus on quantity, it is crucial we learn from the mistakes of the past. High quality facade boards installed as part of modern rainscreen cladding systems can keep buildings looking good and performing well for years to come, transforming them into a source of pride and enjoyment for tenants.
William McDowell – Business Director UK & Scandinavia at Rockpanel Group
This feature was published in the September 2016 issue of Housing Management & Maintenance.
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* AG Sheppard Fidler in Miles Glendinning and Stefan Muthesius, Tower Block – Modern Public Housing in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland (1994)