Ecomerchant launches three new eco building products

This article was originally published in issue 38 of Passive House Plus magazine. Want immediate access to all back issues and exclusive extra content? Click here to subscribe for as little as €10, or click here to receive the next issue free of charge

The first is Faay HV84 Indoor Climate Wall, a strong, rapid-install partition wall system made from 100 per cent natural materials (flax, wood fibre and timber). It is installed using the Faay track system.

“HV84 is a breathing wall that helps to improve indoor air quality, thermal performance and noise reduction. It is quick and simple to install, and brings a new level of flexibility and savings for partition walling across new build and retrofit,” Will Kirkman of Ecomerchant told Passive House Plus.

The product consists of a dense flax core with a factory-bonded wood fibre surface, onto which a natural, breathing finishing layer of the customer’s choice is applied, such as lime or clay plaster.

The second new product from Ecomerchant is SkamoWall, a calcium silicate board which absorbs moisture present in buildings by actively diffusing it through the material, where it is safely and harmlessly locked away.

Kirkman said: “Over time, in a traditional wall build up, dampness builds up as it is held onto, or trapped within, the wall structure, and this penetrating damp is what causes the development of mould and mildew.

“By using SkamoWall Boards the dampness is absorbed and held harmlessly by the board to be later released by evaporation, helping to prevent persistent damp problems.”

Kirkman explained that when the relative humidity in the internal space lowers, the drying surface attracts stored water from within the board to the surface, and this is then evaporated safely away in a controlled manner into the internal space, leaving the surface dry once again.

For this to be effective, it is important that the room is effectively ventilated. The alkaline composition of SkamoWall Board (pH of 10.3) means that mould cannot form on its surface. The boards can be applied to a wide range of solid mineral surfaces including brick, concrete and blockwork. The boards are not suitable for application to wooden surfaces or studwork.

Finally, Ecomerchant is also now supplying Breathe carpet underlay, which is made from natural wood fibres, and has the ability to filter even the smallest dust particles to improve indoor air quality.

“Remarkably, tests have shown Breathe filters over 95 per cent of dust out of the air you breathe, trapping even the smallest particles as air passes through for a fresher-feeling home – and making life easier for allergy sufferers too,” Kirkman said.

For more see www.ecomerchant.co.uk.