Grenfell Tower
The disaster that changed specification forever

The cladding had been refurbished just a year before, but it has been discovered that a different cladding from the approved specification had been used in a move to cut costs. The cladding that was fitted did not comply with building regulations. According to the police, both the aluminium-polyethylene cladding and the PIR insulation plates failed fire safety tests conducted after the fire. The alternative cladding used in Grenfell reportedly saved the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea £293,368.

As a result, the cladding sector has been under great scrutiny to ensure the safety of buildings, both residential and corporate. However, it’s not just the cladding industry that have been affected by this – it’s the specification process as a whole.

When architects and consultant engineers work on designs and performance of buildings, they will specify each material to ensure that the design, safety and practicality requirements of the construction are met. As a knock-on effect, this has meant that building contractors are hesitant to sway from the specifications they have been given.

At Sunsquare, the safety of our customers and end-users is of utmost importance, which is why we have taken steps to ensure our products are of the highest quality. We are proud to be a part of the Secured By Design program, which is a police-backed initiative that ensures products are impenetrable to potential intruders. We are also BSI Kitemark accredited, which means our products have gone under rigorous testing for air permeability, weather tightness and extreme wind loading. We are also accredited by the Contractor’s Health and Safety Assessment Scheme (CHAS) which assists suppliers and buyers alike in the assessment of health and safety competence. Finally, we are ISO 14001 certified which ensures the quality management of our processes.

If you’re looking to specify a skylight, why not get in touch with our technical team who would be more than happy to assist you.