Reclaimed brick cavity wall with cork
An external wall from the tool's Lower-carbon walls group. With the layers below it has a U-value of 0.18 W/m²K, is 445.5 mm thick, and has about 26 kgCO₂e/m² of embodied carbon.
- U-value
- 0.18W/m²K
- Overall thickness
- 445.5mm
- Embodied carbon
- 26kgCO₂e/m²
- Fire
- Worst class E
Against the Building Regulations
| New home in | U-value limit | This build-up, 0.18 |
|---|---|---|
| England | 0.26 W/m²K | Meets it |
| Wales | 0.18 W/m²K | Meets it |
| Scotland | 0.17 W/m²K | Misses by 0.01 |
These are the limits for a single element in a new home. In England a new home usually needs better figures to pass the whole-house target, about 0.18 for walls. All UK U-value limits.
Section, drawn to scale
Layers, outside to inside
| # | Layer | mm | λ, W/mK | R, m²K/W | kgCO₂e/m² | Fire class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reclaimed brick | 102.5 | 0.77 | 0.133 | 3.9 | A1 |
| 2 | Unventilated cavity or dab gap | 50 | – | 0.184 | 0 | – |
| 3 | Expanded cork board | 180 | 0.04 | 4.500 | 3.9 | E |
| 4 | Aircrete block, standard bridged by mortar joints | 100 | 0.15 | 0.503 | 16.8 | A1 |
| 5 | Plaster, lightweight | 13 | 0.18 | 0.072 | 1.4 | A1 |
| Total, with surface resistances | 445.5 | 5.624 | 26.0 |
U-value worked out to BS EN ISO 6946 from the total resistance. Carbon is stages A1 to A3 for the layers.
Moisture and rain
Traces only Only on the back of the masonry outer leaf, which is wet from rain anyway, or under 10 g/m² in total. Surface factor 0.96 (needs over 0.71 and at least 0.75).
Rain: Zone 2 of max 3 for exposure zone 2 (moderate).
Other lower-carbon walls
Figures come from the Build-up Atlas's own calculation, with generalised values for typical products, for an England new home with default settings. They are indicative, for design and teaching: check the manufacturer's declared values and the current regulations for your project. Rules and standards last checked 21 October 2026.