In 2014, Rowland switched from Keystone standard lintels to Hi-therm lintels for the Bonington house type and apartments at Barton Heath. Keystone’s Hi-therm+ lintels use a patented combination of a polymer isolater and galvanised steel to bond the internal and external walls together by spanning the intervening gap. The polymer isolater provides a powerful thermal break in the lintel helping to eliminate the key thermal bridge. As a result, Hi-therm+ Lintels are up to five times more thermally efficient than a standard steel lintel and are installed in exactly the same way as a standard lintel. The reduced CO2 emissions achieved through this fabric first solution were built-in for the life of the new homes.

Having used Hi-therm in various developments across their portfolio since then and seen the benefits in terms of thermal efficiency as well as cost efficiency, Rowland Homes have taken the decision to switch to Hi-therm on all house types.