More than Fabric First, Safety First: Multi-unit residential project by United Living benefits from DuPont™ Tyvek® FireCurb® Housewrap

Safety is uppermost on the agenda when planning for new, multi-storey structures of high-density occupation and alongside sustainability, is among the chief concerns of the current climate. Architects, Developers and Contractors are continually seeking reliable, proven solutions to such challenges, so what better material than one that ticks every essential box?

Specially created as a fire-retardant version of the leading breather membrane, Tyvek® FireCurb® has all the high-performance properties one would expect of the Tyvek® brand while offering even greater peace of mind for ethical professionals.

Specified for the six storey mixed-use Silbury Boulevard project in Milton Keynes, 4,000 square metres of Tyvek® FireCurb® Housewrap has been installed by Sage Roofing behind the aluminium cladding of a new-build, steel-frame construction by United Living. Designed by Triangle Architects to create 139 units of private rental accommodation, this thermally-efficient building for the client Nilus Developments also features two commercial units, amenity space at ground level, with additional car parking and bicycle storage at lower ground.

United Living, a highly successful contractor in the growing built-to-rent market, was keen to ensure that the building’s façade would continuously meet B class fire rating requirements while also meeting part L (condensation risk) requirements, thus the ideal solution was to install Tyvek® FireCurb® over the weatherboard insulation and seal it tight with specialised Tyvek® adhesive accessories.

Robert Reid, Silbury Boulevard Project Manager for United Living, Midlands says, “We chose Tyvek® FireCurb® because it’s the market leader and we needed the right product to fulfil an essential specification post the Grenfell tragedy, in terms of fire safety. We needed a non-combustible material and United Living is at the forefront of resolving these issues. It is better to be happy and safe with a product that is fit for purpose, not just for current regulations but in anticipation of new regulations following the Beckett report, for which, as one of the top-tier companies, we have been consulting. United Living is confident that should regulations change our client will not be affected in terms of their insurance or the need for any retrofitting.”

Robert continues, “As well as a fire-retardant capacity, it was also important that we had a waterproofing membrane to protect the weatherboard cavity insulation. There was constant monitoring of Part B changes with key stakeholders such as LABC, Building Control to ensure compliance was achieved. By working with a reputable manufacturer such as DuPont and consulting throughout the supply chain, we ensured that the entire project team from architect to façade supplier was involved in the decision to go with Tyvek® FireCurb®.”

A commitment to service has always been a vital factor of the global DuPont knowledge network and Robert adds, “Our experience of working with both the material and the company has been excellent. We had several site visits and the manufacturer is dutifully fulfilling its commitments to ensuring both the correct installation and performance of its product.”

Tyvek® FireCurb® Housewrap is a pioneering advancement in membrane manufacture that adds superior flame retardant performance to the existing high-value properties of Tyvek®. Using innovative technology to reduce the flammability of polymer based substrates, Tyvek® FireCurb® decreases the risk of fire spreading through the external envelope.

Rather than using halogens, the technology employs a phosphorous-containing agent that forms a ‘char’ layer at the surface when it is in contact with an ignition source. This thin layer of carbonized polymer is highly flame retardant and forms a barrier, slowing the release of flammable materials. Starved of fuel, the flame spreads over the membrane more slowly or not at all and if the membrane ultimately caught fire, it produces less smoke, another vital advantage for safety. Rigorously tested, Tyvek® FireCurb® has a fire rating of class B-s1,d0 according to EN13501-1.

Tyvek® offers optimal and holistic systems of membranes, AVCLs, adhesive accessories together with Technical Support. At the Silbury Boulevard project, Tyvek® Tape was applied to seal overlaps and joints to the windows, Tyvek® Double-Sided Tape was used to adhere the membrane to the weatherboard whilst fitting (­­prior to the installation of brackets for permanent support) and to seal the overlaps between membranes. All Tyvek® products were supplied by SIG Distribution.