News & Blog

WHAT IS A GREEN ROOF?
A green roof is a flat roof with a planted roof covering, and which can also provide biodiversity in some instances. Like a ‘normal’ flat

WHAT IS ETAG 031?
ETAG 031 is part of a family of European Technical Approval Guidelines (ETAGs). It was prepared in 2010 under the Construction Products Directive (CPD) –

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF ETAG 031 IN INVERTED WARM ROOF PERFORMANCE?
The design of an inverted warm flat roof – where the thermal insulation is above the waterproofing layer – allows for the possibility of rainwater

BEARING THE LOAD: FLOORBOARD INSULATION
Here, we offer guidance on how the compressive strength of ground floor insulation compares to that of other layers in a floor.

UPDATE ON USING COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS ON BALCONIES
At the end of June 2019, the UK Government issued an advice note regarding balconies on residential buildings and fire safety.

HOW DOES COMPARTMENTATION IN A BUILDING IMPACT INVERTED ROOF DESIGN?
A fire usually starts inside a building, so internal fire spread is as critical a part of fire safety regulations as external fire spread. It’s

WHAT IS THE FIRE PERFORMANCE OF XPS INSULATION IN GROUND FLOOR CONSTRUCTIONS?
As one of the two main areas of building design and construction where extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation is commonly specified, it’s useful to understand how

WHAT IS THE FIRE PERFORMANCE OF XPS INSULATION IN FLAT ROOFS?
As one of the two main areas of building design and construction where extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation is commonly specified, it’s useful to understand how

HOW IS THE FIRE PERFORMANCE OF BUILDING ELEMENTS DECLARED?
When considering the fire performance of building elements, generally it is necessary to distinguish between the fire performance of individual components (such as an insulation

INSTALLING A WATER FLOW REDUCING LAYER ON AN INVERTED WARM FLAT ROOF
A water flow reducing layer (WFRL), is a loose laid membrane installed over inverted warm roof insulation. The performance of a WFRL is independently tested,

HOW SHOULD WINTER CONDENSATION RISK BE ASSESSED IN FLAT ROOFS?
For a flat roof construction – be it a cold roof, a warm roof, or a warm inverted roof – the calculation method for year-round

DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND PERFORMANCE OF INVERTED BLUE FLAT ROOFS
A blue roof is a flat roof construction – either a warm roof or an inverted warm roof – where additional elements are incorporated into

GROUND FLOOR INSULATION: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Rob Firman, Technical and Specification Manager at Polyfoam XPS highlights common misconceptions about ground floor insulation and offers guidance on specification and installation. How many

IS PRICE STILL THE DRIVING FACTOR ON CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS?
Ian Exall, National Sales Manager of Polyfoam XPS gives his view. Fundamentally, price remains the driving factor on construction projects, but priorities have shifted. The

AMENDMENTS TO BUILDING REGULATIONS FOR FIRE SAFETY
December 2018 saw the publication of amendments to the Building Regulations in England, as part of the response to the Grenfell Tower disaster. The amendments

INVERTED ROOF GUIDANCE IN THE REVISED BS 6229
A revised version of BS 6229, the code of practice for ‘flat roofs with continuously supported flexible waterproofing coverings’, came into effect on 30th November

WHAT IS BS 6229:2018?
As a British Standard only (rather than an adopted European or International standard), BS 6229 concentrates on flat roof construction in the UK. It describes

INSULATION MATTERS: THE IMPORTANCE OF CORRECT SPECIFICATION AND INSTALLATION
Poorly specified and/or installed insulation can have a detrimental impact on ground floors. Rob Firman, Technical and Specification Manager at Polyfoam XPS explains the risks

LOOKING BACK AND FORWARD
Stuart Bell, Managing Director at Polyfoam XPS reflects on 2018 and talks of what’s in store for 2019. Throughout 2018 we continued to see sector

POLYFOAM XPS PARTNERS WITH NBS
Polyfoam XPS, a leading manufacturer of extruded polystyrene (XPS), has renewed its partnership with NBS to host its growing range of insulation products in the