ACTIS Hybrid proves such a hit Scandia-Hus chooses it for second showhome
Swedish timber frame manufacturer Scandia-Hus has been so impressed by the thermal efficiency of its first showhome that it has used exactly the same insulation materials for the new house it is opening at its Sussex HQ in the summer.
The 3,500 sq ft mock Tudor style property will offer a large kitchen, family room, utility room, study, dining room and sitting room, four bedrooms, two with en suites, bathroom, cloakroom and a basement providing space for a family games room, gym and cinema room.
Once completed it will offer a U-value of 0.14 in the roof and 0.16 in the walls, thanks to the use of two of the three products in the popular ACTIS Hybrid insulation system.
Indeed, the architects have replicated the specification used in the first show home - installing vapour control layer HControl Hybrid and 150mm honeycomb design Hybris panels in the pitched roof and HControl Hybrid and 105mm Hybris panels in the walls.
Once complete, the sales team of the UK’s largest designer and supplier of Swedish energy saving timber framed homes will be relocating from their current premises and taking up residence in the uber energy efficient building whose domestic quarters will be reconfigured internally to provide eight offices.
Scandia-Hus trialled the ACTIS Hybrid system a couple of years ago on its first, contemporary style, showhome, carrying out a thermal imaging exercise after completion to help determine whether to switch to the system for future projects. The results, which showed an impressive lack of thermal bridging, convinced them that this was the best insulation for most of the homes it builds every year.
Scandia-Hus MD Derek Dawson said: “After carrying out our initial experiment we were extremely pleased with the installation side of the material and from now on can reduce insulation installation time by up to 30%. Previously, insulation was installed in two phases - the first in the factory and the second on site after the first fix was complete.
“This time we used the new ACTIS Hybris panels, which are even easier to install than the rolls. They are easy to cut to exactly the right size so they simply slot into the stud wall which reduces cutting and installation time even further."
“Due to the use of service voids and the ease of installation the insulation will now generally be installed in one phase on site. This also ensures that the air tightness of the building is not compromised by follow up trades. Other benefits were minimal wastage (just three black sacks) and site cleanliness. And as if that is not benefit enough, the Hybrid range does not produce irritant and messy dust when installing.”
ACTIS UK and Ireland sales director Mark Cooper added: “Using traditional insulation products to improve energy efficiency would have resulted in greater wall thickness, large increases in material costs and more labour for Scandia-Hus.
“On the other hand the Hybrid system is quick and easy to install and offers an impressive U-value in a thinner package – thus creating more saleable floor space. Because it’s flexible and can bend around corners, not only does this make fitting it much more straightforward than cutting rigid board, it also addresses issues of thermal bridging and air tightness. It was these factors which meant the thermal imaging experiment was such a success.”
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