LoftZone StoreFloor PASS - Green Building Encyclopaedia GBE

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LoftZone StoreFloor (PASS)

LoftZone StoreFloor (PASS)
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GBE PASS Product Accessory System Screening:
LoftZone StoreFloor

Manufacturer:	Eco Answers Ltd t/a LoftZone
Supplier:	Approved installers network: contact (phone or email) manufacturer for list
Website:	http://www.loftzone.co.uk
Product Reference:	StoreFloor
Description of product/system:	Raised Loft Flooring System consisting primary and secondary supports and cross beams Timber decking board manufactured by others. Creates a deck for storage of possessions and belongings Creates a deck for access to storage and to M&E services in loft
Application: (promoted by manufacturer):	Domestic and Non-Domestic buildings: Domestic belongings, possessions and other storage and M&E access deck in loft above flat ceiling To prevent belongings compressing thermal conductivity insulation and diminishing its performance
Is it competent in this application?:	Yes: BBA Certified
Claims made appear in:	0
Literature	Installation Instructions
Advertising	None inspected
Website:	Yes
Review based upon:	GBE LitAudit & LitEdit Website Instructions audit, Instruction video audit CPD file audit and edit Website pages: Trades Audit: Architects and 9 others SpecifiedBy website page audit
Webpage URL/PDF URL:	http://www.loftzone.co.uk/installation.html http://www.loftzone.co.uk/architects.html http://www.loftzone.co.uk/housebuilders.html http://www.loftzone.co.uk/social-housing.html http://www.loftzone.co.uk/building-control.html http://www.loftzone.co.uk/installers.html http://www.loftzone.co.uk/landlords.html http://www.loftzone.co.uk/commercial.html http://www.loftzone.co.uk/solar.html http://www.loftzone.co.uk/plumbers.html http://www.loftzone.co.uk/government.html http://www.specifiedby.com
Document name/File name:	http://www.loftzone.co.uk/installation.html http://www.loftzone.co.uk/LoftZone_installation_instructions.pdf
Date of document:	undated, no printers mark
Revision of document:	no information
Assessor initials:	BRM
Assessment date: (DD/MM/YYYY)	12/10/16 – 02/12/16
Reviewer initials:	BRM
Last review date: (DD/MM/YYYY)	19/12/16
PASS Assessment on following page
GBE PASS Assessment:	Characteristics of the ‘normal’ or ‘average’ product in the same category:
Description of ‘Normal’ or ‘Average’ Product in the same category:
Normal or Average Product: Characteristics: 1	Long softwood pieces difficult to handle and manouvre into loft and into place
Normal or Average Product: Characteristics: 2	Legs of insufficient height for todays recommended thickness and material of thermal insulation
Normal or Average Product: Characteristics: 3	Deck not offered as part of system but offered as part of DIY Kits
Normal or Average Product: Characteristics: 4
How is this product better than ‘normal’ or ‘average’ product in the same category?
Features:	Benefits:
Benefits: Materials: 1	Robust plastic supports
Benefits: Materials: 2	Recycled plastic supports
Benefits: Materials: 3	Lightweight cold rolled metal crossbeams
Benefits: Materials: 4	Ready-made parts require little or no modification in loft
Benefits: Properties: 1	Longitudinal stability from triangular Tri-supports
Benefits: Properties: 2	Good height for competent thickness of insulation and ventilation below deck
Benefits: Properties: 3	Suitable for attic storage and for access walkway/crawl way
Benefits: Properties: 4
Benefits: Applications: 1	Easy to handle and manouvre small components into loft space
Benefits: Applications: 2	Simple construction suitable for DIY
Benefits: Applications: 3	Installer training is available via: PPLelearning 30 minute on-line CPD accredited Training Course: consisting of 11 pieces 4 modules and 4 test http://www.pplelearning.co.uk/lms/index.php?r=course/details&id=18 Instructions manual will help most DIY if they follow the instruction Reviews and Awards page could include CPD accreditation (this is important) Could mention training in quite a few of the Trade pages of the website
Benefits: Applications: 4	Video does cover most issues fairly well
Benefits: competence: 1	Permits air movement below decking and at perimeter, reducing risk of condensation
Benefits: competence: 2	When used with flooring grade timber panel decking (by other manufacturer)
Benefits: competence: 3	A poured/blown in insulation (e.g. cellulose fibre flake, polystyrene balls) could solve any size mismatch
Benefits: competence: 4	Selling cellulose fibre flake insulation with decrement delay property in place of mineral wool insulation
Benefits: Accreditations: 1	British Board of Agrément Certificate 15/5269 Product Sheet 1
Benefits: Endorsements: 1	Endorsement: Yorkshire Energy Services Endorsement: DIY Doctor Q&A and demonstration video
How is this product worse than ‘normal’ or ‘average’ product in the same category?
Features:	Problems:
Problems: Materials: 1	High embodied energy in galvanized steel
Problems: Materials: 2	High embodied energy and carbon in plastic
Problems: Materials: 3	Loss of carbon sequestration if replacing timber framing
Problems: Materials: 4	Use recycled nylon and polypropylene: this may complicate End of Life recycling option if both supplied to any project
Problems: Properties: 1	Decking is not part of the system and DIYers could choose wrong size boards (manufacturer does offer appropriate boards from its online shop)
Problems: Properties: 2	Different model of supports are being developed to improve the current model
Problems: Properties: 3	Manufacturer also sells insulation materials that do not solve domestic top floor overheating
Problems: Properties: 4	Manufacturer also sells insulation rolls that need to be cut to size to fit system
Problems: Applications: 1	Instruction manual could be improved in some areas (Audit carried out and improvments identified)
Problems: Applications: 2	Instruction video could be improved in some areas (Audit carried out and improvememts identified)
Problems: Applications: 3	with 325 x 1220 mm deck boards 600 mm or narrower insulation will end up with gaps
Problems: Applications: 4	A poured/blown in insulation (e.g. cellulose fibre flake, polystyrene balls) could solve any size mismatch
Problems: Product competence: 1	Ventilation zone is blocked by cross-beams, put perforations permit some airflow, if using 250 mm insulation with 100 mm ceiling joists will create gap for cross flow.
Problems: Product competence: 2	Literature indicates an edge barrier/handrail but not described in instructions
Problems: Product competence: 3	risk of gaps in insulation dictated by decking size could create thermal bypass route through insulation
Problems: Product competence: 4	Flange spaces in H profile supports create thermal bypass routes through insulation 11 times greater area than thermal bridge
Problems: Accreditations: 1	BBA Certificate logo is in the footer of the website homepage, it links to the Architects Page where it is anticipated in 2015 (needs updating) The importance of the BBA is still not appreciated or communicated. A link to the Agrement Certificate on the BBA website would be appropriate. Reviews and Awards page could include BBA Certificate (this is probably more important than all the others, but they all still have an importance)
Problems: Endorsements: 1	Numerous certificates, endorsements, accolades but not distinguished between each group
GBE PASS Product Accessory System Screening:
LoftZone Store Floor