Innovative insulation is ideal fit for new housing development

Recticel Insulation’s innovative insulation board - Eurowall +, which has a tongue and groove joints on all four sides to ensure an airtight fit and improved thermal performance, was selected for a desirable new housing scheme built beside one of England’s eminent waterways.

The Magenta Court development in Apsley, Hemel Hempstead is a multi-award nominated social housing project on behalf of Dacorum Borough Council. The £6.5m scheme, which stands alongside the famous Grand Union Canal, comprises 29 one-and-two bedroom flats within four blocks. The buildings’ design was inspired by the surrounding wharf architecture present in a nearby listed cottage, papermill and Apsley Lock.

Being delivered by main contractor Jarvis Contracting, working with architects RG+P, key to the programme’s success was achieving an energy-efficient building fabric. This led to the specification of Eurowall®+, a high-performance PIR solution from Recticel.

This flagship product helps to achieve a 0.18 U-value with a 90mm-thick panel in a 100mm cavity. The lightweight, easy-to-handle board features a tongue-and-groove joint on its four sides, allowing it to be used as full-fill cavity wall insulation with a 10mm clear cavity. The additional space makes for a rapid, more convenient fit for bricklayers when it comes to installation.

Eurowall®+ is an exemplar of how high-performance materials can maximise a home’s thermal performance through a fabric-first approach. Its selection for the Magenta Court development was crucial to the creation of a number of desirable, energy-efficient affordable homes, whilst playing a part in ensuring the contractor remained on track to complete the project to the agreed timeframe.