The scheme was designed by L&Q and their supply chain partners to improve the thermal efficiency and create safer, greener, and more comfortable homes for the residents of three iconic tower blocks in Lewisham Park, London. The completed project will deliver warmer and more modern homes for residents, with reduced maintenance requirements and lower energy bills.
The 12 month programme has seen over 15,000 square metres of new external wall insulation (EWI) installed and upgrades to the buildings’ windows, doors and roofs, as well as a range of mechanical, electrical and structural enhancements.
Bradley Green, Head of Delivery, L&Q commented: “Working in partnership with Axis and their designers enabled us to design the best solution for our asset and our residents. Our extensive design period, with the new HRB regulations in mind, enabled us to safely and efficiently deliver 204 flats in 10 weeks.”
The window replacement element of the project is a critical component in enhancing both the energy efficiency and overall comfort of the residents’ homes.
By replacing the aging UPVC windows with Symphony Windows’ expertly fabricated Alitherm 400 system from Smart Architectural Aluminium, the residents of the blocks’ 204 flats are now starting to benefit from a modern, durable solution that aligns with the project’s sustainability goals.
The inclusion of solar control glass to mitigate overheating, and a bespoke mainframe design for the Alitherm 400 tilt & turn widows to support the EWI finish, exemplify the innovative approach taken to address the unique needs of this project, and the close collaboration between Symphony Windows and the Smart Commercial Solutions design team.
Completing this phase in just 10 weeks is testament to the efficiency and dedication of the team involved, delivering a significant upgrade that will benefit residents for years to come.
Dan Webb, Director, Symphony Windows commented: “The remit for Lewisham Park Towers from our client, Axis Europe was to install 204 residential flats within 10 to 12 weeks for the programme to be fully completed within 12 months.
“Symphony Windows achieved full installation of all flats within 10 weeks. Working closely with Smart, the challenge was to install a thermally efficient window that achieved current building regulations of 1.4/Wm2K; for this the Alitherm 400 was selected. Due to the use of EWI on the external building fabric, Smart designed a wider mainframe for the tilt and turn window specifically for this project. This allowed the insulation to be returned to the frame to give suitable coverage for the window sightlines.
“The project was a great success for Symphony, our supply partner Smart Architectural Aluminium, and our client Axis Europe and L&Q. It shows how a good working relationship with all parties can achieve great successes.”
Symphony also supplied new and upgraded balcony doors, with the Smart Eco-Futural system, including automatic opening vents, installed to each landing of the flats.
This phase of the project was designed to deliver improved insulation and usability, enhancing energy efficiency (the client specified a U Value of 1.4 for the window and door suite), improving the comfort of the residents and offering safe living conditions in the event of a fire.
Kevin Cole, Senior Project Engineer, Smart Architectural Aluminium commented: “We worked with our partners Symphony Windows on an earlier phase of the Lewisham Park regeneration project, which saw the existing landing/balcony door screens replaced with our EcoFutural suite in 2020/21. This involved the integration of an automatic louvre system into the window system and connected to the fire alarm system for all three blocks.
“In 2024 we again collaborated closely with the Symphony team on this major window replacement programme, which included a requirement to provide a tilt and turn window system. To achieve the required tolerance for the EWI system, we designed a new bespoke mainframe for the Alitherm 400 tilt and turn windows that allows sufficient width to return the external wall insulation and provides an excellent finishing detail to the project. This design was drawn and approved, with dies made and profile extruded all within four working weeks, ready to be supplied to Symphony for fabrication.”
