The three-storey model home, constructed offsite at Persimmon’s Space4 timber frame factory in Birmingham, has been designed to showcase the latest technologies in housebuilding. It will be used to test cutting-edge materials and construction methods, while also acting as a training facility for staff, subcontractors and suppliers.
Among the innovations being trialled is a prototype brick façade, which has been factory-fitted to the timber frame before being transported to site. To support the project, Glidevale Protect has supplied several of its high-performance products to improve thermal efficiency, airtightness and condensation control in the home.
These include:
- Protect TF200 Extreme external wall breather membrane
- Protect VC Foil Ultra reflective insulating membrane for internal walls
- Protect VP300 vapour permeable roofing underlay for the pitched roof
- Protect UniRoll dry fix ridge and hip system, ensuring high-level roof ventilation
The Innovation Centre Trial House will allow Persimmon Homes to monitor the performance of these products under real-world conditions, generating valuable data as the company seeks to enhance energy efficiency across its developments.
Speaking at the centre’s official launch event, Dave Griffin, Group Build Director at Persimmon Homes, said: “We’re really proud to launch our model home and confident this facility will help keep Persimmon at the forefront of construction innovation.
“With the Government targeting 1.5 million new homes over the next five years and the Future Homes Standard arriving in 2025, sustainability and efficiency are central to our plans.
“We look forward to seeing the trial house in action as we work to build high-quality, sustainable homes.”
The launch event brought together a range of suppliers and contractors involved in the project, including Midlands-based roofing specialist BDC Roofing, who carried out the roofing work and installed Glidevale Protect’s materials.
John Mellor, Head of Marketing at Glidevale Protect, highlighted the importance of such innovation partnerships, saying: “The Future Homes Standard will drive improved energy efficiency and thermal performance in new homes, and our membranes can play a vital role as part of a fabric-first approach.
“We’re proud to support this project with Persimmon and to build on our track record of working with major housebuilders to help shape the future of construction.”
Glidevale Protect has also contributed to other high-profile research projects, including Barratt Developments’ Zed House, the Vistry Innovation Centre, and Bellway’s Future Home at the University of Salford’s Energy House 2.0.
