CUPA PIZARRAS’ CUPACLAD®, a rainscreen cladding system, has recently been installed as part of a 1980s eco-bungalow refurbishment in Tarporley, Cheshire. The manufacturer was selected thanks to its reputation for supplying high quality, natural products with a clear point of origin, while the cladding system also complemented the home’s sustainable ethos.

Architect Jon Moorhouse and his wife purchased the derelict bungalow with aspirations to keep the original eco-friendly design but bring it into the 21st century to create an almost zero-carbon home. As such, a second storey was added to the existing building, which was then super-insulated. The exterior was redesigned using a recycled steel substructure, Staffordshire bricks and local green oak for parts of the cladding. Throughout the project, emphasis was placed on sourcing the highest quality materials that would blend in with the surrounding rural landscape while maintaining a contemporary design.

To this endeavor, Jon sought a natural slate cladding system, as he felt it would work well with the green oak elements. He came across CUPACLAD® slate rainscreen cladding and reached out to CUPA PIZARRAS. The team visited Jon’s architectural practice to present a CPD and discuss the project. It was soon decided that CUPACLAD® would be ideal as it could achieve all the aesthetic and sustainability requirements as both CUPACLAD® 101 and 201 systems have achieved BRE Global Verified Status and appear in the GreenBook live database. Fully BBA approved, CUPACLAD 201 Vanguard – the system eventually specified - is 100% non-combustible, with an A1 fire-rating, and offers a lifespan of over 100 years.

Jon Moorhouse commented: “I was looking for vertical hanging slate that would fit with the colour scheme of the house, while also contrasting with the oak elements. The design for the balcony also uses vertical cladding, so we wanted a horizontal slate to complement these lines. CUPACLAD® really helped us to achieve this vision.”

Simon Hope, CUPACLAD® Product Manager at CUPA PIZARRAS, explained why slate was ideal from an environmental perspective: “CUPA PIZARRAS owns its quarries, so we can extract the material ourselves, process it locally, and return to mountains any excess material that isn’t used – so this entire process has a very small impact on the local environment. While our quarries are in Spain and transportation is required, as a carbon neutral company our output is minimised and completely offset.”

Ease of installation was also required. Gavin Bailey from Sparta Cladding commented: “Overall, CUPACLAD® is a great product - easy to handle and install. The support we received from CUPA PIZARRAS was excellent and we’ve built a good relationship with the team who offered to come to site and demonstrate the best way to install the system. They were also able to supply us with resources that clearly illustrated the installation process and offered detailed design solutions that could be developed into practical site applications.

“As with most sub-grid systems, the support system is fundamental to the final installation and aesthetics of the building, this ultimately dictates the position and size of the slates. We are happy and confident in using CUPACLAD® and feel it has a good place in the market for its natural finish and ease of installation.”

Architect and property owner Jon concluded: “I would definitely recommend CUPACLAD® – partly because of the support we received from the CUPA PIZARRAS team who were in constant communication with us, providing samples and visiting the site – but also because of the system itself. We found it to be versatile and the installation was very quick – providing us with a beautiful and natural aesthetic as well as good eco credentials.”

For more information about CUPA PIZARRAS’ range of products, including its CUPACLAD rainscreen cladding, please visit: www.cupapizarras.com/uk/

To view CUPA PIZARRAS’ video on the project, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaEJ_hhPMv0&t=4s