The energy crisis will significantly fuel growth for window and door foam sealant tapes in 2023, according to Andy Swift, sales and operations manager for ISO-Chemie. Andy sees the UK market remaining robust over the next 12 months, with the need for more effective insulation and sealing solutions of windows and doors becoming a rapid priority in the design, specification, new-build housing and wider commercial construction sectors.
Refurbishment of existing housing stock is also expected to support growth in 2023, Andy said, as retrofitting sealing solutions can be a more effective way to achieve greater energy-efficient homes rather than building new properties. National housing associations such as Broadacres and Gateshead Housing have been upgrading their current stock with new door and window installations sealed by foam tapes, he added. Andy also claimed that, in the modular sector, house designers will continue to invest in new ways to deliver low-carbon structures, which use sustainable technologies such as foam sealant tapes to secure measurable airtight, acoustic and thermal sealing benefits.
With energy-rated and conservation products at the forefront of design and building regulations, there has to be discernible growth for air tightness and thermal sealing products, Andy argued. “With 25% of the heat leaking from around windows, it will be paramount for all in the construction and building sectors to effectively seal around the window to wall gap,” he said.
“Millions of people will struggle to heat their homes and stay warm. But through the use of modern foam sealants to create a thermal and airtight seal around the window, the amount of heat loss around frames is significantly reduced, helping to save energy costs.”
Modern methods of construction will gain further traction as 2023 unfolds, which will lead to the continued integration of foam tapes with the more traditional methods of building, enabling developers to bring forward projects more expediently, Andy added. “Retrofitting properties with products like Winframer, Vario SD and Bloco One becomes a direct focus for property developers and housing associations and is a cost-effective way to insulate existing properties very quickly. As they say, the greenest home is one already built. It just needs proper retrofit insulation.”
Housebuilding to higher air and thermal standards remains a priority, Andy said. “There are effective products out there to ensure that airtightness and thermal efficiency within buildings should never be overlooked or ignored. It’s a matter of designing in these products.”
