Quinn Building Products has announced a new free CPD (continuous professional development) offering for those in Irish construction, entitled ‘Single Leaf Masonry - A Modern Method of Construction?’ A series of open house regional seminars are scheduled throughout Ireland, and available to book via the Quinn Building Products website.

In April this year the first NSAI Agrément certificate was issued for the application of external insulation to existing dwellings. Joseph Little of leading green architects Joseph Little Architects used analysis from his practice’s Building Life Consultancy service to assess the certificate, and encountered issues which raised questions over whether it should have been issued in its current form.

Ill-considered attempts to upgrade a building’s thermal performance can not only fail to save energy, but can also create serious problems for occupant health and building structure alike. Leading green designer Joseph Little of Joseph Little Architects investigates the particular problems associated with dry-lining single-leaf concrete block walls