Nearly 9.000m2 of Recticel’s Eurowall® Cavity was installed at Otium Lake, a 31-home development in Pluckley, the idyllic Kent-based village setting for the long-running ‘feelgood’ TV drama, The Darling Buds of May.
Built on a former brickwork site by residential developers Hibau Group, Otium Lake is an exemplar of how redundant space can be transformed into a splendorous estate. The residential development includes four and five-bedroom energy-smart homes, a private lake, communal areas and acres of surrounding greenery and woodland to create the ideal living experience.
With sustainability a key aspect in terms of the bespoke, detached homes’ design, the choice of cavity wall insulation was crucial to ensuring regulation energy performance was met. Following a specification change and consultations between Hibau Group and Recticel, 100mm Eurowall® Cavity panels were found to be the ideal solution.
A specialist solution for cavity walls, Eurowall® Cavity possesses straight edges to ensure gaps between panels are kept to a minimum. The products’ durability and limited moisture absorption are supported but excellent thermal performance: λ = 0.022 W/mK.
A supreme development in a remarkable location, Otium Lake is designed to enhance the lifestyles of those who come to call it home. The selection of Eurowall® Cavity as the residencies cavity wall insulation will contribute to this outcome by helping to create the ideal indoors environment throughout the year.
“Ultimately, the specification of Eurowall® Cavity was about cost saving without sacrifice to quality. With approximately 8.700m2 of cavity insulation installed across the site, it was ultimately the right choice. She said Recticel’s design expertise, particularly in relation to ensuring the Eurowall® Cavity system met the project’s thermal expectation was also invaluable. “Recticel’s U-value calculation service is fantastic. It was very quick and made our life extremely easy. It meant from start to finish, the specification change process took about three days,”
Rachael Hillsmith, Assistant Quantity Surveyor at Hibau Group
FAQs
Construction law & regulations
Can a breather membrane be laid directly over Recticel's insulation boards?
Different breather membrane manufacturers have different guidelines for their products, and these should always be consulted prior to installation. It may be possible to lay the breather membrane on the insulation, but with a counter batten airspace above.
If you would like to discuss application of any specific project, please contact our Technical Services.
Cavity wall
What is the minimum clear cavity when using Recticel Insulation cavity wall products?
As per the documentation for Eurowall® +, the clear cavity can be reduced to 10mm due to the innovative tongue & groove interlocking joint.
Eurowall® Cavity is certified for use in conjunction with a 25mm cavity. However, some warranty providers will not accept this and require a 50mm cavity, as do Scottish Building Standards. A wider cavity should be used in exposed locations.
If in doubt, seek advice from your Building Control Officer.