Home Comforts

Whether you’re building from scratch or retrofitting your home, using state-of-the-art materials makes all the difference in optimising comfort and energy efficiency.

The demands of modern-day living and the availability of contemporary building materials calls for a review of the traditional approach and processes applied to building a home.’ So says Atisha Gopichund-Lutchman, marketing director of Saint-Gobain Gyproc, who firmly believes that an improved quality of life can be achieved when homeowners make informed choices when it comes to retrofitting or building from scratch.

‘Saint-Gobain’s materials are developed with this in mind,’ she says. ‘The company has created contemporary building systems to suit the demands of today with an eye on the future, not only from a technological point of view, but to meet energy-efficiency criteria, too.’ Research and innovation are at the heart of Saint-Gobain’s strategy. The group’s eight main research centres across the globe focus on breakthrough innovations, while continuously improving its processes and services aligned to customer needs.

According to Thomson Reuters, Saint-Gobain has been among the world’s Top 100 most innovative organisations for the last five years. Its technological know-how is often applied in partnership with universities and laboratories to foster that innovation, which explains why one in four Saint-Gobain products did not even exist five years ago.

Atisha and Kerry Henning, marketing manager of Saint-Gobain Gyproc, share further insights into Saint-Gobain’s innovative strategy and products:

Tell us a little more about Saint-Gobain

Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes building materials and solutions that promote wellbeing. In Sub-Saharan Africa, we produce energy-efficient building materials, such as Gyproc drywall, ceilings and plasters, Isover insulation, and Weber mortars and adhesives. With these complementary brands we can offer building materials that make living spaces more comfortable, cost-efficient and sustainable. Globally, Saint-Gobain solutions range from self-cleaning windows and photovoltaic glass to smart-insulation and water-supply systems.

Can Saint-Gobain products contribute to an improved quality of life?

We believe that homes can be better. A better home is one that makes you feel better, that makes your life better. Not just a safe shelter, but also a place that makes you healthier and happier. To prove this we partnered with a developer and built a case-study home, Stand47, on Monaghan Farm in Gauteng. Saint-Gobain’s state-of-the-art building materials were used to create a living space that has been proven to be warmer, cooler, safer, quieter, healthier and more comfortable.

Tell us more about the comfort aspect

Improved indoor-temperature performance (thermal comfort) means that a home is warm in winter and cool in summer. Cost-effective insulating materials mean that less energy is needed to heat or cool your home, which reduces its operating costs (economic comfort). In addition, Saint-Gobain products need little maintenance, and renovations are less intrusive and costly.

Can an existing home be retrofitted with the same resulting comfort levels?

Absolutely! Saint-Gobain’s campaign, #upgrademyhome, is helping to raise awareness of the benefits within existing homes. Not everyone can afford to build a new home using the best contemporary building materials available – and not everyone wants to. Many people love their homes and simply want to make them more efficient. The Home Upgrade campaign focuses on that.

To submit your home visit upgrademyhome.co.za.