To save over £370,000 a year and maximise energy efficiency, Wealdon District Council has consolidated its administration into a single property at Hailsham. The refurbished blockwork and brick-skin structure now makes better use of the building’s fabric to control ambient heat and to manage thermal gains and improve interior comfort, Wilmott Dixon and Frankham Consultancy Group specified DuPont™ Energain® thermal mass panels.

Using DuPont’s building design software system, simulation graphs demonstrated the performance of the system when installed into the entire second floor level ceilings and 650m2 of Energain was then installed, providing a total heat storage capacity of approximately 91000 Wh (temperature window: 18-24°C) and achieving up to 5-6° passive reduction of interior peak temperatures.

Terry O’Neill of Wilmott Dixon comments: “We were very impressed at how helpful DuPont were. The cost was reasonable, the material was readily available, and the quality was consistent. Comparatively, the product is very effective and, overall, we are completely satisfied.”

DuPont™ Energain® is an advanced phase change system supplied in lightweight, easy-to-install panels of 1.0m x 1.2m x 5.26mm thickness, which are sealed behind the plasterboard in walls or ceilings using standard tools and working practices. It works by absorbing ambient heat as room temperature rises (at around 22°), storing it until the temperature drops again (at around 18°), and then releasing it back into the room. In ventilated structures this can make a significant difference to comfort and also to the choice of construction methods and materials. In buildings with air-conditioning it can reduce costs by up to 35% and help to reduce heating bills by up to 15%.