Even greater thermal efficiency of Sureclad systems

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Even greater thermal efficiency of Sureclad systems

Shackerley’s Queen’s Award winning Sureclad ceramic granite ventilated facade system has an impressive environmental profile and has helped some of the UK leading architects to enhance the BREEAM ratings of both new and refurbished buildings. A recent enhancement to a specific component at the heart of the system has improved its eco-friendly credentials further still.

Designed to provide buildings with highly effective protection from the elements, the Sureclad system provides the facility to introduce valuable thermal (and acoustic) insulation in the air cavity between the building shell and the façade thereby contributing towards energy efficiency. The remaining cavity helps to eliminate thermal bridging and the air flow behind the facade also minimises condensation risks and allows the building to ‘breathe ’, serving to maintain a healthy indoor climate.

One of the innovative elements of the Sureclad aluminium facade substructure is the ‘Helping Hand’ bracket which holds the system’s vertical T-sections to the substrate. The ingenious design of the component with its positioning ‘fingers’ helps the installation contractor to achieve perfect alignment of the sections more easily and speeds up the installation process.

Now, Sureclad Helping hand brackets are supplied complete with green thermal isolation pads fitted. This simple feature has been incorporated to minimise the potential for thermal bridging and improves the overall thermal efficiency of the installed ventilated facade system. The adaptation has been made to all ten of the Sureclad ‘Helping Hand’ brackets in the range. These differently sized brackets enable the contractor to cater for any irregularities in the design zone, to provide flexibility in the design of the facade and to allow for different thicknesses of thermal and acoustic insulation to be installed in the cavity.

Shackerley’s technical team is able to provide the specifier and contractor with technical advice and support at every stage during the planning, design and installation phases of any Sureclad ventilated facade project and where required can provide detailed calculations to demonstrate the thermal and acoustic performance of an installed facade in order to meet the requirements set out in current building codes.