ITP has supplied Safe One, the UK’s most advanced breather wall and roof membrane, for a facade upgrade project at Sovereign Harbour in Eastbourne.
The Boardwalk apartment buildings have a floor above 18m, making them subject to post-Grenfell legislation which came into effect in 2018, requiring cladding material which has a Class A fire safety rating under the Euroclass system. The original facade at the Boardwalk does not meet the necessary Euroclass rating, necessitating its removal and replacement with a new A-rated rainscreen cladding system. The project will cost around £6.2 million, largely funded by the government’s Building Safety Fund for buildings over 18m.
Principal Contractor, N&J Building Services, has been chosen to oversee the installation of the Class A-rated cladding to make the Boardwalk apartments fully compliant with the latest Building Regulations. The company is also fitting a Class A breather membrane in the form of Safe One, ensuring the entire external wall system achieves a maximum fire safety rating which goes above and beyond the mandatory requirements.
Safe One has been installed behind the facade to protect the insulation from weather and allow the building to breathe. A fully UV stable breather membrane suitable for open facades, the system is unrivalled for performance, providing a combination of W1 water tightness and Euroclass rating A2-s1,d0 which is currently unique in the UK market. ITP are exclusive suppliers of Safe One in the UK.
Paul Harrison, Account Manager at ITP, said:
“Safe One’s two key ratings, Euroclass A and W1 water resistance, give it a major advantage as any membrane with a W2 rating or lower should not be used for high level exposed facade use or pitched roof use. Current Building Regulations are less strict for membranes, requiring a minimum Euroclass rating of B, but the Boardwalk project reflects an approach which increasing numbers of architects, designers and contractors are taking – they are opting for a Class A membrane to match the fire safety of the cladding and future-proof the external wall from any further tightening of regulations in the years ahead.”
Safe One is one of one of a range of breather membranes and vapour control layers supplied by ITP. Further information is available at itpltd.com
Photography courtesy Nick Rowland