Flammable cladding

[Andydevon]

Then you need to look in more detail.

 

[carmanmemoranda]

Then you need to look in more detail.

You appeared to blame it on a fridge.

 

[JonathanM]

Is there a well-proven insulation material on the market that meets spec and doesn't burn?

I'm guessing this is too obvious. But isn't Rockwool the alternative?

 

[noseall]

And is that not what I have been saying?

No. You tried to blame the fridge.

Thick as mince.

 

[securespark]

I'm guessing this is too obvious. But isn't Rockwool the alternative?

So why don't builders use this?

It's cheaper, so it would cut costs.
Is it purely because, mm for mm, it's not as thermally efficient?

 

[noseall]

Is it purely because, mm for mm, it's not as thermally efficient?

Probably. And the fact it's not structurally rigid.

 

[Andydevon]

Carman and Nosey did the fire in the cladding start itself then? Petty insults are quite amusing and do show you up.

 

[Charlie George]

So why don't builders use this?

It's cheaper, so it would cut costs.
Is it purely because, mm for mm, it's not as thermally efficient?

It is widely used on new build apartments etc, 150mm thick and Rockwool fire barriers closing cavitys at each floor level and around all reveals, even the DPC and cavity trays are now non combustible.
Maybe we made a mistake in forcing councils etc to fit insulation to older buildings, in hindsight it maybe would have been better to subsidise the heating bills till the buildings were gradually rebuilt using modern methods.

 

[catlad]

When it was built Grenfell tower was a concrete block with steel framed windows, any fire at that time would not have gone far before being brought under control.

 

[noseall]

Carman and Nosey did the fire in the cladding start itself then?

If you seriously believe that multiple occupancy building design legislation, stems from "will they/wont they have flammable material/items inside their dwelling" then my insults need some serious tweaking. You must be dumber than I imagined.

If you want to focus a thread on faulty electrics, crack on. This thread is about how a buildings exterior design detail, was responsible for spreading fire from one dwelling to the next.

 

[IT Minion]

He's just trolling, using the deaths of 72 as fodder.

 

[noseall]

He's just trolling

I know.

I'm just having fun making a fool out of him, whilst he trolls.

 

[carmanmemoranda]

Carman and Nosey did the fire in the cladding start itself then? Petty insults are quite amusing and do show you up.

The only person being shown up is you.

 

[Andydevon]

Children at play.

 

[JonathanM]

So why don't builders use this?

It's cheaper, so it would cut costs.
Is it purely because, mm for mm, it's not as thermally efficient?

I asked pretty much exactly the same question on a different thread eighteen months ago. It turns out Rockwool slabs are actually widely used. Below is a photo of a new build using Rockwool slabs. Also, they can be used with render directly over the top, rather than a rainscreen cladding system like at Grenfell.

In the end, though, I realised you probably need someone who actually designs these buildings to get a definitive answer about all the factors to consider when choosing insulation for these systems in high rises. Possible issues which I wondered might have a bearing on the decision were things like cost of installation, lifespan, weather resistance, aesthetics, and general interaction/integration with other elements in these types of building systems. Also, whether it can be used as easily in refurbishment rather than new build.

Is there a good alternative to foam based insulation in cladding systems?

I've read you can use Rockwool slabs. But how do they compare in practice?

This is something I wondered about a lot at the time, but never really found the answer.

I never found a satisfactory answer as to why Rockwool wasn't used at Grenfell in particular.