"Buildings will also be particularly affected by the effects of climate change: storms, flooding and seepages, reduced durability of some building materials and increased risk of structure damage or collapse (e.g. from severe storms) could all decrease building lifetime, while increasing health-related risks such as deteriorating indoor climate." (The GABC Global Roadmap)[16]
Deep energy retrofit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_energy_retrofit
Many UK and global buildings may not be resilient enough to survive extreme weather conditions caused by climate change, especially as flooding and
wind speeds increase. This is detailed in
recent article like this.and
this
The Building Resistance Matrix Programme - BRMP is an idea by Paul Ridley Director of Cabinz CIC / Reuseitecture to help to reduce these problems. One major barrier to reinforcing & insulating buildings is cost.
Cabinz CIC helps reduce these costs by supplying their stock of over 5 million high quality fixings at a fraction of the normal cost to groups, who can use sourced materials to build and install frames and panels to reinforce and insulate buildings.
They have a regular supply of these low cost fixings, which can be directed to support the BRMP.
Small sheds, green houses, animal shelters and fencing will be targeted first as they are often exposed to high winds in isolation in sites such as allotments and gardens. These can become projectiles to damage houses and people in high winds.
Raised beds can be built reusing materials to resist flooding and protect agriculture for food security.
Cheaper reused materials can be used to strengthen them as such shelters do not usually require building regs. or planning permission under permitted development.
Cabinz CIC has recently supplied 2.7 tonnes of screws and fixings to some of the 31 members of the
Community Wood Recycling Network who are a great source of low cost reusable wood.
Designing and installing systems to reinforce and insulate houses and commercial buildings takes more time and finance.
In addition, insulated sheds, lean-tos and greenhouses with curves walls attached to houses, can deflect strong winds and perhaps be attached to roofs to resist winds lifting them off..
Cabinz CIC, is a
social enterprise, that has raised funds to stock several million new, high quality screws and fixings in stock. These are available to attach to frames and insulated panels to buildings, which they can sell at very low cost.
The aim is to encourage:
1. Reinforcement of brick wall buildings
Strengthen existing buildings to resist increased forces on them from climate change using
MMC to form modular composite structures outside and / or inside .
Brick walls are strong in compression, but weaker to other forces, so panels, frames and structural insulation are added to reduce this problem.
If funds are available, new building materials can be used to make the panels. If not, to reduce cost and save waste, offcuts & reused building materials may be used, (see point 4 below on Reuse) but this may require changes to building regs / planning permission
1a. Vine Covered Trellis or Plant covered Walls using Reusable Composites & Wood for Reinforcement.
Wood and composite plastics can be used to 'green' walls. Cabinz partners have reused
composite plastic to reinforce fences and walls here
Birds & insects can be returned to urban environments by thriving in vines & creepers on wall and fence trellis', which also have the benefit of insulating / strenthening the wall or roof
2. Reinforcement of Roofing
Wall( top) plates and roof trusses can be reinforced with threaded bar, galvanised straps & bolts.
Cabinz CIC can supply these at low cost and has sold several thousand metres of clearance stock , low cost composite plastic and metal roofing sheets. These suppliers can supply local groups with sheets direct, and Cabinz can supply fixings.
3. Insulation
Insulating buildings to reduce climate change via energy loss reduction with composite panels,
Structural insulated panels (SIPS) and additional frames if required.
Internal wall insulation is effective, but reduces internal space. One solution may be the mass installation of thin but highly efficient
Vacuum insulated panels (VIPS). Unfortunately Vips are expensive, so a Gov. owned factory to reduce costs may be necessary.
4. Reuse
This is a massive undertaking to do on a large scale, both financially and in resources. To reduce cost & construction waste, the reuse of new offcuts from manufacturers and reusing materials such as wood and composite plastics for frames and insulation is essential.
Cabinz have experimented with low cost methods of frame construction such as cladding wood & composite plastic (that cannot be recycled only land filled )
Remanufactured low cost paint from our partners at
Community Repaint schemes is used to extend the life of timber frames and reuse paint.
We have bought primary domain names such as www.Re-use.com & www.Reuse.co.uk to encourage material reuse in this area. Other groups have been contacted to help with this strategy in partnership.
5. Expansion
Modular buildings/pods can be added to the outside and inside of buildings to strengthen/insulate/ improve them.
Green houses and insulated storage sheds or work spaces can be added to the outside of buildings under permitted development, creating much needed extra space or built on top of garages to deflect high winds over roof eaves.
6. Securing Projectiles like Tiles and Fencing in Strong Wind and Flood
Property owners have a duty of care to protect neighbours and passers by,
and may be liable for storm damage to property from projectiles Extra work securing these items may be required.
7.
During Reinforcement & Repair, Using Building Materials to Capture Carbon are an opportunity to reduce climate change.
As detailed in this article new materials are being developed to facilitate this
Cabinz CIC have sold over 250 tonnes of composite plastics for reuse which would have been land filled, these were mainly insulated panels for work spaces,
sheds &
greenhouses
Materials can usually be reused
under permitted development to build these structures and require no planning permission or building regs.
The combination of the first two points, means that if the structural reinforcement is not ever needed due to a reduction in the threat of climate change forces, the insulation with provide an energy saving layer anyway.
We are looking to partner with groups to supply building materials to, or possibly collaborate on research, design, manufacture.
Frames and panels can be installed to retrofit or modular buildings can be built to replace them
entirely.
If you are interested in collaborating contact us at cabinznet@gmail.com
