Stevenage Borough Council Insulation Programme

The Challenge

Cornerstone was selected by United Living to support them in delivering their Energy Efficiency contract with Stevenage Borough Council.  The contract involved the retrofit of hundreds of properties, with external wall insulation the predominant measure.  

Our responsibilities included the technical surveying and pre and post energy assessment of each property, as well as the design and end to end installation of the measure(s).

The key challenge of this contract was the sheer volume and complexity of properties to be insulated in accordance with a demanding schedule of works.  These were a mixture of terraced and semi-detached houses of both traditional and non-traditional construction, including Molem, Belfry and Wimpey No Fines system built and hybrid properties.

The installation process involved the removal and disposal of the existing tiles, timber or UPVC cladding, and its replacement with an Alumasc EWI system.  Any damaged timbers were replaced and insulated between, with marine plyboard and a waterproof membrane installed.  We also addressed exposed floors and installed fascias and soffits alongside the EWI where required.

Narrow cavities were treated with bead insulation, and loft top-ups were completed where appropriate.

Our Solution

Cornerstone appointed a dedicated delivery team to the project, which at its peak included two supervisors, twenty insulation engineers, three surveyors/energy assessors, two labourers, a driver and a Health & Safety inspector.  We were highly flexible in our resourcing of the contract, upscaling on demand to meet United Living’s volume targets.

We also provided two dedicated Gas Safe engineers to complete pre-installation gas safety surveys and installations during the disabling and enabling phases of the EWI works, ensuring maximum productivity and health & safety compliance.

This team, and our subcontractor partners, were overseen by a full time dedicated non-working Site Manager, who also managed all liaison with United Living and council representatives.  The result was an agile, responsive and high achieving service.

A number of technical issues were overcome on this project, enabling us to remain compliant with the demanding schedule of works.  For example, we overcame access issues in the design and supply of scaffolding, and worked with surveyors to resolve an issue with faulty window frames.

Cornerstone also worked closely with United Living to support them in fulfilling their obligations to Stevenage Borough Council in terms of compliance and social value, most notably enhancing Health and Safety processes during the project.

The Result

Cornerstone has insulated over 550 Stevenage Borough Council properties to date, delivering this complex and challenging programme of works to schedule and to budget while also contributing considerable technical expertise.

The strength of our financial resources and our strong management of cash flow throughout the project has enabled us to finance and deliver a considerable volume of installations without interruption.  We have delivered a reliable and highly productive service to United Living, in turn supporting them to meet the requirements and expectations of their client.

Cornerstone also sourced, managed and claimed a significant sum of ECO funding that reduced the end cost of the programme to Stevenage Borough Council, maximising value for money.

Finally, with the approbation of Stevenage Borough Council, Cornerstone engaged with the local community to raise awareness of the benefits of energy efficient retrofit.  We have insulated over 20 neighbouring private properties in Stevenage to date, enhancing both the sustainable credentials of the overall scheme and our reputation as a capable and responsible specialist contractor.