Thousands of builders, architects, and specifiers who have discovered the thermally impressive Actis Hybrid range say the ease with which they can be used and their cleanliness means they will use the products on all future projects.
The key pluses most often cited by builders are that the range is quick, clean and very easy to use. That’s in addition to the fact that it offers an incredible thermal performance and is guaranteed to last for the service life of the building – thus ensuring the stated U-value remains the same over time.
The cleanliness and complete absence of dust of unique honeycomb insulation Hybris, which comes in panel format, and the insulating membranes with which it is designed to work – Boost R Hybrid, Boost R Hybrid Roof and H Control Hybrid – makes life more comfortable. There’s no need for specialist PPE or masks. It also eliminates any respiratory issues which can arise from using power tools – an issue of great concern to the HSE which runs an annual Dustbuster campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of workplace-generated lung disease.
Tony Byron-Cooper, site manager at a recently completed 43-home development in Kent for PCR Projects, is one of the range’s many fans. He says he will be using Actis products on all his future developments.
“Health and safety-wise for our installers, it is light, easy to handle and there’s no dust to contend with,” he said.
“We’ve found it to be a big labour time saver as it’s so quick and easy to install and achieves a better seal into timber frame as opposed to sheet insulation material. We’ve found just being able to store it easily is a bonus. Also, any waste is easy to dispose of.”
Builders generally report an installation time improvement of around 30% compared with traditional forms of insulation, which saves on labour costs. And as it’s very easy to install, the higher qualified members of the construction team can focus on carrying out more complex tasks.
The fact that Actis products are flexible and can be squeezed into odd-shaped gaps and wrapped around corners means thermal bridging is pretty much eliminated – leading, inevitably, to a more thermally efficient fabric envelope.
And because the system has been tested both in the lab and in situ to ensure there is no gap between the declared and actual performance of its thermal efficiency the U-value achieved in real life is either equivalent to or even better than the lab predictions.
All four CE marked products are accepted by the NHBC and Premier Guarantee, when used in accordance with the certification and have LABC and LABCSS registered details, which means they can be accepted by building control surveyors throughout mainland Britain.
The RIBA has recently approved the first of Actis’ two popular CPDs, on addressing the performance gap with reflective insulation.
