passivehouse+ | Issue 8
News
Partel launches insulation, ventilation & airtightness products Partel has launched a range of specialist insulation, ventilation, and airtightness systems to the UK market, aimed at the low energy building sector. Partel is the exclusive Irish and UK agent for the Ampack range of airtightness, windtightness, and building protection products. Founded in 1946, Ampack is one of Europe’s most established specialist membrane and tape manufacturers. "Our Ampack products offer a complete building protection system, from radon membranes to airtight membranes, tapes, adhesives, and windtight membranes, and Ampack's unique 10 year guarantee ensures customers confidence in our range,” said Hugh Whiriskey, who founded Partel in 2011. Partel also supplies the Lunos range of humidityactivated decentralised ventilation systems, including the award-winning Lunos e2, one of the smallest heat recovery ventilation units in the world. The Lunos e2 is not only duct free but can be used in both new and retrofit construction. Whiriskey said the long life filters and low running cost of Lunos systems mean customers can have a premium system with minimal running costs.
Partel has also partnered with Episat to bring the Epatherm range of calcium silicate insulation boards, for use primarily in older buildings, to the UK. Whiriskey said: “As an engineer with 15 years experience in construction I’ve found that there’s a demand for higher quality building products, and that the focus will continue to move towards natural and sustainable products. We offer customised technical sales and provide support on all of our products from specification advice, Wufi analysis, training, and onsite inspections. We believe we have a lot to offer to the modern builder. Whiriskey said that in addition to low energy buildings the company have a number of passive house and Enerphit projects on their books. “We believe this is a reflection of the quality of our products and services,” he said.
(pictured) The Lunos e2 single room MVHR system and Ampatex Variano, part of the Ampack range, available in the UK via Partel
In addition, Partel offers the Schneider range of woodfibre insulation. "Schneider woodfibre is produced in one of the most modern factories in the world; the quality of the products is unparalleled," Whiriskey said. "Amazingly, they have a zero waste production plant." The woodfibre is produced from the by-products of timber production, and waste from the insulation manufacturing process produces biomass that powers the plant.
The winners of this year’s UK Passivhaus Trust awards were announced at a ceremony in London on 1 July, 2014. The Saint-Gobain sponsored awards recognise the best passive-certified building projects in the UK. Parsons & Whittley Architects picked up the
Munster Joinery sponsored Architectural Design award for their Burnham Overy Staithe threehouse terrace in an area of outstanding natural beauty in Norfolk. The houses, a mix of affordable and open-market units, are designed to reflect the local “fisherman’s cottage” vernacular.The other nominees were Hindolvestone Road affordable housing in Norfolk, by Mole Architects, and Standings Court social housing in West Sussex, by MH Architects.
Beattie Passive, Encraft and Force picked up the Saint-Gobain sponsored Cost and Buildability award for their Coventry Eco House project, a development of two detached red brick homes that aimed to engage the local supply chain in building to the passive house standard. The other nominees were the Crawfordsburn private dwelling in Northern Ireland, by Paul McAllister Architects, and the Hart Lea affordable housing scheme in Derbyshire, also by Encraft.
Meanwhile Kirsty Maguire Architects picked up the Ecology sponsored award for Bespoke Projects Design for her barn-inspired farmhouse in Ayrshire on the west coast of Scotland. The house was previously featured in issue six of Passive House Plus. Also nominated was the River Studio in Warwickshire by Sjolander de Cruz Architects, and Stories Mews mixed living and office space in Camberwell, London by Richard Dudzicki Associates Ltd.
More details on the winners and all of the nominated projects are available at www.passivhaustrust.org.uk The judging panel was comprised of Nick Grant and Kym Mead of the Passivhaus Trust, Mark Gillott of Nottingham University, Hattie Hartman of the Architect’s Journal and Bill Butcher from the Green Building Store. (left) Members of the teams behind the 2014 UK Passivhaus Awards winning projects
Photo: Leo Wilkinson Photography
Passivhaus Trust announces UK award winners