Lovell Park Towers, Leeds

Project overview

Lovell Park Towers form part of a major residential estate in Leeds that underwent a large-scale energy efficiency and fire safety upgrade. The project included three 17-storey tower blocks—Lovell Park Grange, Lovell Park Heights and Lovell Park Towers—and was delivered as part of a £25 million refurbishment programme led by Leeds City Council in partnership with Equans.

The primary objective was to significantly improve thermal performance, reduce carbon emissions and provide a fully non-combustible façade solution suitable for high-rise residential buildings.

The challenge

The refurbishment programme presented several complex challenges:

• Delivery of works to multiple high-rise blocks simultaneously
• Requirement for a fully A1-rated non-combustible external wall system
• Mixed substrates, including brickwork and in-situ concrete panels
• Constrained site logistics with limited storage and compound space
• A need to achieve substantial improvements in energy efficiency without altering the building form

In addition, the system design had to account for wind loading, fixing performance and consistent detailing across all elevations.

The solution

A Wetherby direct fix A1 external wall insulation system was specified across all three tower blocks. The system incorporates non-combustible ROCKWOOL stone wool insulation and mineral-based components throughout, achieving an A1 fire classification.

The insulation was mechanically fixed directly to the existing brickwork substrate on the majority of elevations, with thinner insulation specified for reveals and recessed areas to maintain façade alignment and detailing continuity.

Wetherby carried out wind load calculations and pull-out testing during the design phase to determine the appropriate fixing specification and layout for the varying substrates and building heights.

Installation

The EWI system was installed by Hamilton Building Contractors Ltd, a Wetherby-recognised contractor and INCA member. Installation was carefully coordinated with the main contractor to ensure continuity of works across all three towers.

In areas where concrete panels were present beneath window openings, a double-layer insulation approach was adopted. An initial layer of insulation was fixed to the concrete substrate, followed by a secondary layer aligned with the main façade insulation, creating a consistent external plane prior to rendering.

Finishes and detailing

The façade was completed using a mineral render system finished with silicone paint, providing a durable, weather-resistant finish suitable for high-rise exposure conditions.

A combination of colour tones was used to articulate the façades, with lighter colours applied to primary elevations and darker accent colours used in recessed areas to visually unify the three towers. Brick slip finishes were incorporated at ground level to provide enhanced impact resistance in high-traffic areas.

The result

The refurbishment delivered a substantial improvement in thermal performance, with external wall U-values reduced from approximately 1.41 W/(m²K) to 0.28 W/(m²K).

The completed works provide a fully non-combustible façade solution, improved thermal comfort for residents and a significant reduction in operational energy demand. The project demonstrates how high-rise social housing can be effectively upgraded to meet modern fire safety and energy efficiency standards.

Key facts

• System: Direct fix A1 external wall insulation
• Substrate: Brickwork and concrete panels
• Insulation: Non-combustible stone wool
• Finish: Mineral render with silicone paint
• Fire performance: A1-rated system
• U-value improvement: From ~1.41 to 0.28 W/(m²K)