Yarn Street residential development, Leeds

Client: Miller Homes
Type of works: supply of fibre-cement cladding panels.

The 281 residential units on Yarn Street comprise of 169 houses and 112 apartments, along with a pavilion and four food-and-drink retail units.

Natura Pro was specified by the architects at Miller Homes because it met the strict sustainability criteria on this project. Marley Eternit fibre-cement cladding panels can achieve an A+ rating as defined in the BRE Green Guide to Specification based on generic rating for autoclaved fibre-cement single sheet - (Element Ref: 80623042, 806230422, 806230447, 806230450).

Fibre-cement cladding also has one of the lowest levels of embodied energy of any cladding material, allowing building designers to achieve a higher BREEAM or Code for Sustainable Homes rating.

Grey Natura Pro was specified as part of a rainscreen cladding insulation solution for all four walls of the large private penthouse apartments located on the top floor of the main four-storey buildings. Natura Pro was also installed the full height of the lift shafts that run down the central section of each block as well as around the balcony areas.

Along with the 50mm of rainscreen slab insulation and rear ventilated cavity, the Natura Pro clad wall construction achieves a U value of 0.25W/m²k.

The project, labelled as a "trail-blazer" by The Leeds City Regional Partnership and recommended for fast-tracking through the Urban Eco Settlement Programme, brings together the eleven local authorities in the Yorkshire region and recognises projects that deliver "prosperous and sustainable" city developments.

John Tate, architect at Miller Homes, said: “We specified a fibre-cement rainscreen cladding insulation solution using Natura Pro because it was a lightweight and sustainable method of creating an energy efficient building. We also used the fibre-cement cladding because it is extremely durable and low maintenance.”

Natura Pro’s advanced surface-coating protects against various types of staining, including graffiti produced by common aerosols and other paints, which can be eliminated by graffiti removers.

The Natura Pro was installed by Leeds-based Compass Northern using a face-fix system. Natura Pro has an installed life expectancy of at least 50 years, providing excellent long-term value for money. Fibre-cement cladding has a Class 0 fire performance.