Insulation Overhaul Boosts WWII Cottage

A Perthshire firm has stepped in to overhaul the eco credentials of a 1948 terrace built to commemorate a Second World War hero.

The Gaymer memorial cottages, in Norfolk, were built to commemorate a Gaymer family member who fought and died in the war.

But they had never been modernised before and occupants were worried about heat loss, condensation and the rising cost of heating their homes.

Perthshire's the A Proctor Group was called in to refurbish one of the four cottages, forming the model for the low carbon revamp of the other three.


It supplied Spacetherm F (Spacetherm bonded to Fermacell) for the walls and Spacetherm FP (Spacetherm bonded to Fermacell and plywood) for the window reveals.

Spacetherm is an ultra-thin moisture-resistant insulation material.

The existing solid floor was insulated with Spacetherm C (Spacetherm bonded to clipboard) to achieve a U-value of 0.47 w/m2K.

In order to be sympathetic to the architectural character of the area, the existing steel windows will be replaced with a modern version that replicates the same appearance and has a whole window U-value of 1.7 w/m2K.

Window performance will be further improved by secondary glazing and innovative heat saving thermal blinds. The existing roof insulation will be topped up with blown insulation to achieve a u-value of 0.1 w/m2K.

As 27% of the UK’s carbon emissions are from residential buildings, the company said retrofitting insulation and improving existing housing stock were excellent ways to meet environmental targets and combat climate change.

(NE)