Apparatus and method for providing an interstitial space

An apparatus and a pipe, the apparatus providing an interstitial space to an outer surface of the pipe, the pipe having an axial direction and the apparatus comprising:

• i. an adhesive layer around the pipe and adhered to the outer surface of the pipe;
• ii. a layer of fluid impervious and weather proof material in the form of a tape, the tape wrapped around the pipe and the tape partially overlapping itself in the axial direction of the pipe;
• iii. a layer of fluid permeable spacer material situated between a surface of the tape facing the outer surface of the pipe and a surface of the adhesive layer distal from the outer surface of the pipe;
• and wherein the spacer material has ends which are encapsulated by the tape, the apparatus providing a sealed interstitial space between the outer surface of the pipe, the surface of the tape facing the outer surface of the pipe and the encapsulated ends, wherein the fluid permeable spacer material is in the form of a sheet or a tape and the apparatus further includes a vacuum source, the sealed interstitial space being subjected to a vacuum by the vacuum source during use of the pipe and wherein a vacuum monitoring means is connected to the sealed interstitial space and the vacuum to which the sealed interstitial space is subjected is monitored by the vacuum monitoring means, which vacuum monitoring means monitors the integrity of the sealed interstitial space.