Wraptite® membrane - Echo Street Manchester

As part of regenerating a gateway site in the city centre – close to Piccadilly station and within the Whitworth Street Conservation Area – the finished scheme is targeting a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating. Air source heat pumps and solar PV panels form part of an all-electric approach. In addition, the linked sections have green roofs.

The willingness of Eire Facades, the installing contractor, to propose Wraptite as an alternative to the specified membrane shows the extent of their trust in the product. This confidence is rooted in their relationship with Proctor Group and the technical support the manufacturer has provided across multiple projects – including Echo Street. Delivering building performance means getting the most out of quality
products. To that end, a Proctor Group’s Business Development Manager (High Rise & Facades), gave toolbox talks to three project managers. All were receptive to the training, and it was clear from subsequent site visits that the information was followed. The standard of installation was very good across the entire development.

“What truly sets Wraptite apart is the support behind it,” said Shaun Farnhill, Project Manager at Eire Facades. “ The technical support team is incredibly knowledgeable and responsive, whether providing guidance during installation or helping to troubleshoot unique project challenges. We know we’re backed by a team that values precision and performance as much as we do.”

In addition to Proctor Group’s own product information and test data, Eire Facades have undertaken their own fire testing featuring Wraptite. Armed with a comprehensive understanding of the membrane’s performance, Eire Facades proposed its use to main contractor Bowmer + Kirkland and gave them confidence as well that Wraptite would support successful delivery of the development.

With the tallest of Echo Street’s three towers topping out at 81m high, the fire performance of any product used in the facade took on greater significance. Proctor Group’s fire testing of Wraptite on a 12mm calcium silicate board shows that it achieves and surpasses the minimum requirements of Part B and Regulation 7 of the Building Regulations in England. Translating that test result into reality required Eire Facades to apply Wraptite to the project’s cement board substrate with a high standard of installation. As a self-adhered membrane, Wraptite is specifically designed to support such an outcome.

“The product is outstanding,” added Shaun. “Durable, reliable, and easy to work with. It provides excellent airtightness and weather protection, helping us meet stringent performance standards without compromising on installation efficiency.”

Wraptite provides a consistent airtight seal that contributes to meeting a project’s airtightness target, while also being highly vapour permeable. That vapour permeability allows the passage of moisture vapour out of the structure, avoiding any increase in condensation risk. In its external location, Wraptite can act as the sole air barrier in a facade build-up, although Echo Street also features an internal membrane layer.

For installing contractor, the self-adhered nature of Wraptite means there is no need to use accessories like primers or adhesives to achieve a secure installation. The introduction of additional components would risk costly delays for the main contractor, lower confidence in the fire safety of the facade, and potentially compromise the airtightness and permeability of the external membrane.

A large-scale, high-rise project like Echo Street requires an external membrane to deliver airtightness, vapour permeability and fire performance simply, reliably and for the long-term. It also requires its installing contractor to have the knowledge and expertise to work with the right product and install it correctly – and that is exactly what Eire Facades provided.

Find out more: https://proctorgroup.com/products/wraptite