Innovative and Sustainable Insulation for Light Guage Steel Framing, Precast Concrete, and Other Modern Methods of Construction
The trend in Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) to more sophisticated ways of insulating buildings led concrete manufacturer Kilsaran to start supplying an advanced external wall insulation system to the Irish market. What are the benefits of this system and how did research and development play a key role?
Two Oaks, Scholarstown Road, Knocklyon, Co.Dublin
Kilsaran was founded in 1964, so it’s not an exaggeration to say the company has helped to build several generations of housing, hospitals, schools, and more for communities across Ireland. The company has also long been a market leader in adopting greener construction practices and using sustainable building materials.
In 2021, Kilsaran Precast was launched with the acquisition of Oran Precast. In 2022 Kilsaran also introduced its ‘Materials Recovery & Recycling’ unit to provide building waste solutions to contractors and developers in the greater Dublin region. The same year, Kilsaran launched its Environmental, Social, and Governance strategy to account for the carbon output of its operations and commit to reducing it 37% (from 2019 figures) by 2030. Lastly, the company launched a Research and Development team.
Ken Mulkerrins, as Group Head of Innovation & Sustainability, helms the team.
“An R&D Lead sits across each business unit of Kilsaran and is specifically tasked with devising and testing new concrete building products. That’s their role, Monday to Friday. They could be working on 20-30 projects at once and follow each project through lab testing to site trials to compliance checks.”
Group Head of Innovation & Sustainability, Kilsaran
Ken spent many years in this type of R&D Engineering role designing and developing dry mortar systems and products. In early 2023 he was given the opportunity to step into his current sustainability-focused role. To inform his new area of focus, Ken decided to return to education, completing a postgraduate programme in Environment, Sustainability and Climate at University College Cork.
“This course really changed my thinking around sustainability in the built environment. I would like to continue my education in the coming years, focusing on planet-friendly design and building, particularly in the use of interchangeable components within a building’s wider structure.”
Group Head of Innovation & Sustainability, Kilsaran
An example of R&D projects with a planet-friendly focal point that Kilsaran lead on includes collaborations with Cairn Homes and Construct Innovate on developing concrete with a lower carbon content. This is to test for how much carbon can be eliminated from a structure without compromising on structural integrity.
Another example of this type of R&D-led innovation is Kilsaran’s supply of its External Wall Insulation system to the Irish market. The system is designed by approved engineers, with components sourced from leading European manufacturing suppliers, and installed by trained installers approved by NSAI Agrément. The system offers cost-effective, off-site modular construction. The benefits of this type of building can include fewer weather delays, better health & safety control, and less time with scaffolding up.
Alan Holton, Technical Manager – Facade Systems & Technical Mortars, is Kilsaran’s expert in this system.
“Typically companies use precast concrete for the structure and adhere external wall insulation to it. Kilsaran is the only company in Ireland with an Agrément Certificate for adhering insulation to Light Guage Steel (LGS) frame substrates.”
Technical Manager – Facade Systems & Technical Mortars
Once the Kilsaran External Wall Insulation (KEWI) is imported, Alan leads the training for installers from across the country in how to expertly fit the KEWI system.
“Impactful training is about theory and practical, hand in hand. You can't bore people to death with PowerPoint! All our training at Kilsaran starts at our training centre, using video and 3D imagery to accurately show how the KEWI system works in a real building project. That way, installers are better prepared for conditions when they are assigned to a project.”
Technical Manager – Facade Systems & Technical Mortars
One prominent project that this KEWI system has been deployed in is Barnwell Point in Hansfield, Dublin 15. Adjacent to the Hansfield Train Station and a brief walk from Ongar Village, Barnwell Point is a mixed development made up of 247 apartments. The insulation system was installed on the external walls of the structure to precise client specifications in white, to compliment the apartments’ clean and modern aesthetic.
Barnwell Point, Hansfield, Dublin 15
In developing the KEWI system, Alan had to meet with various suppliers for the many system components and commission these to be manufactured. Then, the External Wall Insulation was subjected to CWCT testing to evaluate the performance of the facade system and ensure it met safety and durability standards. This meant working with Evolusion Innovation to subject a test facade to high and low pressure, as well as high wind and rain, to ensure the system didn’t leak or allow air flow.
This R&D-led system development is core to Kilsaran’s identity. This approach has equipped the company to continue innovating with construction materials – precast concrete, as a tried-and-true option, and with newer alternatives including LGS.
Kilsaran has been integral to Irish building projects for 60+ years, but it is still staying to the fore of Modern Methods of Construction by researching and developing more innovative and sustainable ways of building. By embracing these new ideas, Kilsaran could remain a leader in the construction industry for another six decades to come.
