RETROFIT CAVITY WALL INSULATION INSTALLED IN BUILDINGS THAT FLOOD.

A building of multiple occupancy which is located in an area prone to both fluvial and surface water flooding. The building has a suspended timber ground floor with deep sub-floor approximately 700mm in depth. The sub-floor due to it’s depth below external ground level is also prone to regular flooding.

The property had undergone a number of remedial measures in 2015 designed to manage water ingress within the sub-floor and reduce the risk of the apartments upon the ground floor flooding also. Prior to 2015 the building unfortunately had retrofit cavity wall insulation already installed and recommendations were made for this to be removed throughout the ground floor where the insulation extended beyond the DPC.

Having not visited the property for a number of years on my return visit recently I noted the original cavity wall insulation had been removed only to be replaced with new!

If the Green Home Grant scheme is going to be a success and not a follow on from the previous ill-considered energy efficient schemes, then some serious guidance and regulation is needed as I’m completely baffled at the incompetence of the building owners, insulation designers and installers in these circumstances.