Spacetherm® A-Rated London

The A. Proctor Group’s Spacetherm A-Rated Aerogel Blanket has been chosen for its superior thermal performance, flexibility and suitability for space-critical applications in the refurbishment of 146 high-rise apartments in Poplar, East London.

The Balfron Tower project involves the upgrading and refurbishment of the Grade II* listed 1960’s building in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, originally designed by the renowned architect Ernö Goldfinger. The re-design of the 27 storey tower block is part of a development led by architects Studio Egret West, with the interior design coordinated in partnership with Ab Rogers Design. Balfron Tower Developments LLP is a Joint Venture between Poplar HARCA, Londonewcastle and Telford Homes.

In their concept for the refurbishment Egret West has sought to bring the fabric of the building up to modern-day standards in terms of fire, acoustic and thermal performance.

Alisan Dockerty, project architect at Egret West explains: “The existing wall construction of the Grade II* listed buildings meant that space for traditional insulation was limited in some instances. We chose to apply Spacetherm A-Rated Aerogel Blanket from the A. Proctor Group, a high-performance insulation blanket with A2 fire rating, capable of achieving the BRE’s surface condensation analysis target temperatures of 16°C, whilst providing us with a minimum loss of space.

The concrete walls around the stairways in each apartment were particularly space critical and identified as a weak point for cold bridging. The original specification would have required an additional insulated wall lining of 145mm, whilst using Spacetherm A-Rated the required high-performance insulation was achieved in less than 60mm.”

In addition to the Spacetherm A-Rated blanket, foil encased Spacetherm A-Rated (CBS) Cold Bridge Strip was also included at window and door junctions to address areas susceptible to cold bridging.

Spacetherm A-Rated is the result of extensive research and development to produce a vapour permeable membrane with an A2 fire rating classification. The new insulation is classified as Class A2, s1 –d0 according to the Euroclass system, which classifies the reaction to fire performance of building products.

Spacetherm A-Rated is a flexible, high-performance, silica aerogel-based insulation material of limited combustibility suitable for use in exterior and interior applications. Supplied in a variety of finishes, the substantial layers of Spacetherm A-Rated meet the requirements for A2 classification (insulation, MgO and plasterboard).

The product optimises both the thermal performance and fire properties of façade systems, enhancing the thermal performance of the ventilated façade and addressing thermal bridging in the façade. It is also useful in minimising thermal bridges around windows in areas such as window reveals.