There’s growing demand in today’s construction market to rapidly deliver cost-efficient, high performance buildings across housing and commercial sectors. But, given the increasingly advanced environmental and other technical standards required in the modern industry, specifying the appropriate system for the job can be a challenge.
The issue that we wanted to address with Wise Wall was clear. Our target was to develop an offsite manufactured timber panel system that delivered cost and performance benefits while exceeding building market requirements, effectively future proofing us and our customers. This objective led us to develop a range of structural systems specifically to eradicate the design versus asbuilt performance gap issues that can be such a problem for the construction sector.
WISE WALL EVOLUTION
Wise Wall T is an evolution of the successful timber based twin wall system. The time had come to make it into a closed panel system and deliver a true offsite solution. By using a separated twin stud, rather than one thicker stud, the timber content is reduced. The twin stud also permits the insulation to be increased, radically reducing cold bridging, improving airtightness and enhancing performance. The highly insulated panel has a service batten, insulating sheathing boards and most importantly, a breather membrane.
We believe Wise Wall T has been well received by the market, finding uses from single houses to multiple property developments across the UK. It delivers a complete factory fabricated walling solution – eliminating the need for added work onsite, including, for example, insulation to improve airtightness and thermal performance.
But we cannot be complacent and, since achieving success in the TTJ Innovation Award in 2013, Frame Wise has enhanced Wise Wall T’s performance further. The latest variant incorporates added insulation on the internal face, fixed prior to factoryfi tting of the service battens. This has further improved airtightness and as a result, provides superior U-Values for less cost, which ultimately has a positive benefit to the end user – delivering enhanced ‘life time’ costs. This has reduced the U-Values from 0.11 W/m2K to 0.09W/m2K and we have also made improvements in the breathable wall technology.
Appreciating the diversity of performance requirements in modern construction, we have now also developed the original Wise Wall concept into a family of structural solutions – Wise Wall T (twin frame) Wise Wall S (single frame) and Wise Wall L (glulam solid wood panel).
Our philosophy is that a one-system-fits-all approach won’t necessarily give best value. By adopting lean manufacturing principles the costly pitfalls of over-engineering, and over-spend can be eliminated.
WISE WALL EVOLUTION
We also now have the option of providing hybrid timber systems that combine two or more Wise Wall solutions. This allows the selection of the most cost effective combination of systems to deliver the performance specification and best value. We decided too to produce all frame and panel systems under one roof. This means no associated extra costs, such as delivery. Also production schedules for different systems can be synchronised for efficiency and quality control.
Last year we also protected our investment by registering Wise Wall as a trade mark. Structural timber solutions are the UK’s fastest growing construction method and the technology is becoming the preferred route to a greener and more eco-conscious structure among building professionals. With latest building regulations demanding the use of more sustainable materials, their market momentum is set to grow.
The fabric first, prefabricated approach applied by Frame Wise with its Wise Wall concepts is designed to create a thermally efficient building envelope; typically delivering a 40% reduction in heating costs due to reduced thermal bridging.
And as energy prices rise and awareness of the need for energy and carbon saving heightens amongst consumers and business, the demands on building solutions to provide more sustainable and energy efficient homes, office and retail space can only only grow. Large panel solutions and factory fitted windows, we believe, will be next industry norms.
