STEICO’s wood fibre insulation was specified to help deliver thermal efficiency to 113 homes on the UK’s largest ‘Zero Bills’ development in Epping Forest. The project’s material specification called for the use of recyclable materials, such as STEICO wood fibre insulation, which is made from more than 80 per cent PEFC-certified softwood and has CO2eq bound within it. This enables the insulation to help support the project’s sustainability goal to keep its embodied carbon content to a minimum.
Octopus Energy has accredited gs8’s site to use their ‘Zero Bills’ tariff. This guarantees no energy bills for residents for a minimum of five years. The development’s energy is managed through a centralised system to form the UK’s first ‘Zero Bills’ microgrid community¹.
Carpenters Yard is being built in line with gs8’s ‘Planet Positive Framework’ that goes beyond ‘low carbon’ or ‘net zero ready’ homes. The site is also under gs8’s Zero Waste Charter where all non-contaminated material is either repurposed or recycled rather than being sent to landfill.
Lee Benjamin, Procurement Manager at gs8 described the project challenges: “Carpenter’s Yard has pushed every boundary of conventional housebuilding. From materials to design – every decision was made with our Planet Positive Framework at its core. It’s not just about delivering homes for us but about proving what’s possible when you commit to building for the future.”
What STEICO products are being used at Carpenters Yard?
STEICOflex 036 is a flexible wood fibre insulation batt and is being used to insulate walls. Being diffusion-open, it allows the building fabric to breathe whilst a thermal conductivity of 0.036 W/m.K enhances its thermal performance.
STEICOspecial dry is a T&G profiled diffusion-open wood fibre insulating sheathing board. It is being used to encapsulate the external envelope of the dwellings to add thermal performance and weather protection.
Why are STEICO’s wood fibre insulation products well matched with gs8’s ‘Positive Planet Framework’?
When selecting construction products, Gs8’s Planet Positive Framework focuses on key areas including:
- Whole life carbon emissions
- Waste management
- Climate resilience
- Durability and quality
Lee Benjamin sums up the gs8 approach to material selection: “At gs8 we are setting the benchmark for the UK housing industry. Every material we choose is guided by our Planet Positive principles, ensuring homes are healthy, future-proof and regenerative. By working with STEICO, we are proving that homes can be design-led, regenerative, functional and financially viable, while also being delivered at scale”.
Wood fibre insulation’s durability and quality
When asked about the project, Martin Twamley, Technical Director at STEICO commented; “At STEICO, we are proud of the positive contribution that our wood fibre insulation products can make to sustainability. Gs8’s positive planet framework is very much in tune with our vision to create products using naturally derived materials to give our customers a choice of insulation that may fit well with their environmental project aspirations”.
If you would like to talk to us about how the STEICO range of wood fibre insulation solutions can support your next new build project, please click here.
¹Zero Bills is powered by Octopus Energy via Eclipse Power Optimise Thornwood Limited. Limits, Terms & Conditions and exclusions apply – Optimise Microgrid
