In a landmark refurbishment project in South East London, Bauder has partnered with L&Q and Axis to deliver energy efficiency upgrades at Lewisham Park Towers—an initiative that not only enhances the performance of three high-rise residential buildings but also demonstrates how low-carbon innovation in roofing can align with broader sustainability goals.
This ambitious retrofit involved upgrading 850 square metres of flat roofing across three tower blocks that collectively house 204 residential units. Facing persistent issues such as water ingress, deteriorated waterproofing, and insufficient insulation, the project set out to resolve long-standing problems while also driving measurable carbon reductions in line with London’s climate objectives.
A vision for net zero living
At the heart of the project lies a forward-thinking approach to sustainability and social value. The client, L&Q, one of the UK’s leading housing associations, had a clear goal: to reduce its carbon emissions while delivering tangible benefits for residents. The City of London Corporation’s target of achieving net zero by 2040 helped shape the broader context for this refurbishment, ensuring it aligned with future-focused environmental commitments.
The chosen roofing specification was revised in partnership with Frankham Consultancy Group (specifier) and Axis (main contractor), who worked closely with Bauder to replace the originally proposed BTRS tapered insulation system with BauderECO FF – an innovative PIR insulation board designed with environmental performance front and centre.
This project also marks a significant milestone as the first installation of BauderECO FF in London, setting a precedent for other large-scale social housing decarbonisation schemes.
Why BauderECO FF?
BauderECO FF is a rigid thermoset PIR insulation board manufactured using the biomass balance approach – a process that replaces up to 80% of fossil-based raw materials with renewable or recycled content. By substituting petrochemical feedstocks with biomass and incorporating recycled PIR dust and other recovered inputs, Bauder dramatically reduces the embodied carbon of the product.
In fact, by opting for BauderECO FF over conventional PIR insulation, L&Q achieved verified carbon savings of 10.96 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e) – an amount comparable to emissions from over 18,000 air miles, or a round-trip commercial flight from London to Sydney. This reduction was independently verified under the REDcert² standard, ensuring the environmental benefits were both credible and measurable.
As Bradley Green, Head of Delivery at L&Q, noted:
“L&Q is committed to helping mitigate climate change by reducing our carbon emissions. Partnering with Bauder and their innovative biomass-based ECO FF insulation enabled us to lower our construction impact and support a transition away from fossil fuels.”
Enhanced thermal performance = lower bills
While sustainability was a core driver, thermal performance remained a top priority. The existing roof system’s poor insulation levels contributed to energy inefficiency and inconsistent indoor comfort. With the installation of BauderECO FF as part of the Bauder Total Roof System (BTRS), the buildings now benefit from significantly improved U-values, reduced thermal bridging, and long-term protection against water ingress.
This means warmer homes in winter, cooler spaces in summer, and lower heating and cooling costs year-round – critical for the residents, many of whom are living in social housing. By reducing both energy consumption and maintenance requirements, the project delivers clear, long-term cost savings while also improving the everyday living conditions of hundreds of residents.
Bauder’s Tom Raftery, Sustainability Lead, said:
“Lewisham Park Towers is a great scheme to have been part of. Through the use of BauderECO FF insulation, L&Q has demonstrated a strong commitment to reducing the overall carbon impact of the project while improving the comfort of residents without compromising on technical standards.”
Seamless delivery and quality assurance
The installation was carried out by Bauder-approved contractor Russell Trew Ltd, who executed the works efficiently and without incident. The refurbishment involved a full strip-to-deck and the complete application of the BTRS warm roof system, with BauderECO FF forming the thermal core.
The full system build-up included:
Cap sheet: Bauder K5K, an elastomeric bitumen torch-applied capping sheet
Insulation layer: BauderECO FF rigid PIR with biomass-balanced content
Additional layers for vapour control and structural protection
This system achieves a total thickness of 170.7mm and a weight of 17.46kg/m². It complies fully with BS 6229 and Part L of the Building Regulations, ensuring modern standards for waterproofing and energy performance are met.
Throughout the process, Bauder’s technical team supported the delivery with on-site visits, specification compliance checks, and final sign-off, culminating in the issue of a 25-year guarantee – a testament to the system’s longevity and reliability.
Social Housing Decarbonisation fund support
The Lewisham Park Towers upgrade was partially funded through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF), which supports projects that reduce fuel poverty and cut carbon emissions from social housing stock. This support reflects the wider push across the UK to improve housing standards in tandem with environmental sustainability.
By aligning with this funding framework, Bauder and its partners demonstrated how innovative product choices can directly contribute to policy-aligned decarbonisation outcomes, while also delivering practical resident benefits.
A blueprint for future refurbishments
This project serves as a powerful example of what can be achieved when client ambition, technical innovation, and trusted partnerships align. The carbon savings, thermal improvements, and long-term durability of the solution position Lewisham Park Towers as a model for sustainable refurbishment – particularly for ageing high-rise housing stock.
Key outcomes included:
10.96 tCO2e saved through the use of BauderECO FF
Significant improvement in thermal insulation and energy efficiency
Better indoor comfort and reduced energy costs for residents
A first-of-its-kind application of biomass-balanced PIR in London
A robust, watertight roofing system backed by a 25-year guarantee
Conclusion
The Lewisham Park Towers roofing refurbishment highlights the growing importance of sustainable product choices in the construction sector. Through the use of BauderECO FF, this project not only addressed the immediate functional challenges of water ingress and poor insulation but also played a role in tackling the climate crisis – one roof at a time.
With housing providers, specifiers, and contractors increasingly being held accountable for carbon footprints and energy performance, Bauder’s work on this scheme provides a roadmap for how to make impactful, environmentally sound decisions in the built environment.
As more organisations look to decarbonise their estates and create better homes, Lewisham Park Towers stands as proof that sustainability and high-performance roofing can go hand in hand.
