Gascoyne Estate, Hackney is home to four 10-storey tower blocks managed by Hackney Homes in east London. These blocks were constructed in the 1960’s where little or no attention was paid to thermal insulation. This rendered the flats cold, damp and costly to keep warm.
Now thanks to Wetherby Building Systems Ltd, the UK market leader in the manufacture and distribution of insulated render systems, the thermally inefficient tower blocks have been transformed into modern, insulated, energy efficient homes.
New external wall insulation installed by Renocon Ltd, along with other energy efficiency measures, have significantly brought down the average running costs by approximately two-thirds. The project supports Hackney Home’s aim of reducing the authority’s carbon output.
The Gascoyne Estate tower blocks were initially ear marked for demolition; however after careful consideration it was decided they could be prolonged a minimum of 30 years with refurbishment.
The system build-up, chosen specifically for the project, comprised of 100mm mineral wool insulation with a WBS Silicone ‘K’ finish, while brick slips were applied to the ground floor generating a design feature.
Residents are unanimously happy with the outcome. Secretary for the Tenant and Resident Association, Veronica Davis said: “It’s good to see the improvement of the blocks. It’s much quieter and warmer since the works have taken place and we are really happy with the results.”