Offsite Takes Off For InSite

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Aberdeen’s most ambitious social housing programme in more than half a century is being delivered with the help of Eurocell’s InSite window system which is specifically for offsite construction.

The system is helping to deliver 87 high-quality, energy-efficient homes at Craighill in Kincorth. The development, part of Aberdeen City Council’s ‘Gold Standard’ housing initiative, will provide adaptable, sustainable and dementia-friendly homes that integrate seamlessly with the surrounding community.

They are also designed to meet the council’s target of reducing carbon emissions by at least 27% and supplying over half of hot water needs through renewable energy.

Sustainability ambitions

High-performance window systems, with U-values as low as 1.2 W/m²K, contribute to lower heat loss, reduced energy consumption and improved thermal comfort, helping to keep tenant bills down while supporting the scheme’s sustainability ambitions. This ensures that energy efficiency and design quality translate directly into long-term benefits for residents and the wider community.

Staying on track

With rising trade costs and site congestion threatening to delay delivery, CHAP Construction, Kirkwood Timber Frame, and Pinefield Glass turned to the InSite system to give the programme greater certainty.

Fraser Taylor, operations director at CHAP Construction, says: “Using the InSite system enabled us to seal the building from day 1 and bring our internal trades onto site much earlier than planned. On a scheme of this scale, where daily trade costs can be in the region of £1,800 to £2,000, those savings quickly add up.”

The system allows Eurocell Logik PVC-U windows in Silk Grey to be factory-fitted into timber frame kits before arriving on site. Once lifted into place, the building envelope is sealed immediately, enabling internal works to start without waiting for external follow-on trades.

Pinefield Glass fabricated the Logik windows, then transferred to Kirkwood Timber Frame’s controlled facilities where they were installed into precision-engineered panels. These were then delivered to the site ready for rapid installation.

Malcolm Thomson, the managing director at Kirkwood Timber Frame, says: “This project demonstrated how effective collaboration can be between the timber frame manufacturer, the window fabricator and the main contractor. By integrating Eurocell’s InSite system into our kits at the factory stage, we were able to deliver timber panels already fitted with windows. This was a key innovation that streamlined installation and reduced the need for follow-on trades. That brought significant programme benefits for CHAP and the council while minimising site disruption and improving overall efficiency.”

For Pinefield Glass a Eurocell partner for over fourteen years, the project was an opportunity to showcase the value of long-term partnerships. MD Bryan Yule says: “Working with Eurocell and using the InSite system, we were able to provide pre-fitted window modules that performed exactly as required on site, giving the contractor and client complete peace of mind.”

Sustainability

Eurocell’s Logik system, integrated within Kirkwood Timber Frame’s precision-engineered panels played an integral role in meeting the council’s sustainability and performance ambitions. Each frame contains around 40% recycled PVC-U, sourced through Eurocell’s closed-loop recycling system, which processes old frames into new ones.

Picture: Offsite window innovation has helped speed the delivery of Aberdeen’s largest social housing development in 50 years.

newbuild@eurocell.co.uk

Article written by Cathryn Ellis
26th November 2025

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