Backed by Housebuilder, the NHBC, the Home Builders Federation and the New Homes Marketing Board, the annual Housebuilder awards scheme is seen as an important part of the drive to improve standards in the industry.

This year, specialist manufacturer Cavity Trays Ltd has been awarded ‘Best Product’ for its new Cavicloser that literally fills a gap in the construction market.

Cavity Trays identified possible shortcomings when partial fill insulation is installed in the cavity. The cutting of the insulation is often poorly executed resulting in gaps around door and window reveals. The presence of gaps means heat is lost around the opening and importantly, the structure does not comply with the requirements of the Building Regulations.

The answer from Cavity Trays Ltd is called the Continuity Closer.
The Continuity Closer is an L-shaped reveal closer, that unlike ordinary closers projects into the cavity so it overlays the offending gap, blocking the heat loss path. By eliminating the break in the insulation capacity, the thermal performance of the structure improves.

As well as improving the build quality and insulation integrity, the Continuity Closer also makes life easier for the site operative to comply with the thermal efficiency clauses of Building Regulations Approved Document L1A 5.9 that states the building fabric should be constructed so that there are no reasonably avoidable thermal bridges in the insulation layers caused by gaps within various elements, at the joints between elements, and at the edges of elements such as those around window and door openings.

Judges of the awards said the product of the year category was one of the toughest to decide because of the variety and number of products produced by national, international and home-based companies.
Ben Roskrow on behalf of Housebuilder media, and Imtiaz Farookhi, chief executive of the NHBC congratulated those who were considered, saying the efforts reflected the excellence and dramatic improvements in the quality in today’s house building industry.

The Continuity Closer is described in detail within the new Technical Manual available upon request from Cavity Trays Ltd.