Aquarian Cladding Systems Ltd - Hillsbarton, Bristol
Supplier: Aquarian Cladding Systems Ltd
Customer: Bristol City Council
Location: Bedminster area of Bristol
Summary of the Project
Four blocks of sheltered accommodation units in the south of Bristol have been transformed by Aquarian Cladding’s Gebrik insulating brick cladding system.
Four blocks of sheltered accommodation units in the south of Bristol have been transformed by Aquarian Cladding's Gebrik insulating brick cladding system. The Hillsbarton development, which contains 100 units for the elderly, was originally built in the 1960s and is owned and maintained by Bristol City Council. Situated in the Bedminster area of Bristol, their refurbishment formed a significant part of a multi-million pound regeneration programme for the area.
The requirements at Hillsbarton were very specific: The system would have to improve the overall aesthetic appeal of the buildings and enhance the local area — red brick being the predominant material. The solution was also required to deliver energy efficiencies, have low maintenance requirements and cause minimal disruption to the tenants during the refurbishment process.
To complement the local architecture, over 600m² of Gebrik was specified — including prefabricated corners for the door and window surrounds, a soldier course detail and bespoke detailing for the entrance lobby area. The original construction, of 100mm dense block with partially insulated 100mm cavity and 100mm brickwork, had a U value of 0.50 W/m2K. With a U value of 0.29W/m2K, the new system delivers a c.70% improvement in thermal efficiency.
The whole refurbishment programme was completed in a remarkable 12 weeks.