Sealants for low carbon home
2nd September 2014

A private residential development near Chelmsford in Essex has achieved air leakage rates within the limits required for the PassivHaus standard, thanks in part to the specification of illbruck’s i3 sealant system for the installation of three different joinery systems within the highly insulated elevations.

The near-to-zero carbon property has been constructed for a private client by Abacus Build, while Kent-based Ecomerchant was responsible for supplying and installing the triple glazed door and window systems. This was done using a combination of three illbruck products – plus an adhesive – that together make up the manufacturer’s BBA accredited i3 system.

When the first pressure test was carried out the consultants registered an air leakage rate of 0.66 cubic metres per hour, per square metre of wall area. It is anticipated that when all of the plastering work is completed, the final air test will show a further improvement of 0.1 m3/m2/hr.

A spokesman for Ecomerchant says: “We supplied a combination of Internorm triple glazed windows along with Bohler units, and Solarlux sliding folding doors. This was the first time as an installer that we had employed illbruck sealants and we found it to be a very good system. The Compriband TP600, in particular, is a nice product to use.”

illbruck Compriband TP600 forms the primary weather seal on the outside of the frames. illbruck ME500 Duo Flexible Window Membrane created the main air seal and was bonded to the timber frame structure with integral self-adhesive strips with Tremco SP525 used for overlaps and corners. Remaining gaps around the installed window frame are taken up using illbruck FM230 Window Seal Foam for a totally integrated approach to fitting door and window frames.

www.tremco-illbruck.co.uk