Optimised rainscreen walls designed with the appropriate modelling can make big energy savings for greener projects, says building envelope specialist SFS
SFS has developed a whitepaper that explores the effects of rainscreen subframe systems on the overall thermal performance of external walls.
The company believes future building standards need to be tighter to bring down high levels of heat loss and energy consumption. Improvements to Part L of the Building Regulations have been mapped out in the Future Homes Standard, but there is little focus on achieving the quality assurance that would ultimately avoid the performance gap.
Energy efficiency can only be tackled by understanding the thermal performance of rainscreen walls, says SFS, because this is where building fabric heat losses are most prevalent: external walls are responsible for 35 per cent of the total heat loss of a building. When a U-Value is calculated, it must take into account where insulation is penetrated by the thermal bridges of a rainscreen subframe system.
The relationship between the design and realisation of a building is crucial for greener building projects and having the right specification for the rainscreen subframe is key to external wall construction performing as well as intended.
SFS has been working on rainscreen subframe solutions that save energy on cladding projects. The firm's thermal solutions operate across all its Nvelope rainscreen subframe systems and its Project Builder technology enables any project to be optimised for performance and budget.
Careful selection, specification and installation of a thermally efficient subframe system, supported by the appropriate thermal modelling, is crucial. The SFS Nvelope system can be optimised to achieve the thinnest build-up and make buildings greener.
Download the SFS thermal whitepaper at uk.sfs.com/thermal-whitepaper
For more information and technical support, visit uk.sfs.com
Contact:
0330 0555 888