ARCHITECTURAL FOCUS
Thermal efficiency allows buildings to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures with minimal energy input , significantly reducing heating and cooling demands , even in harsh climates .
Rooms with glass panelled walls or conservatories especially benefit from further insulation as they are at risk of losing heat . Glass is a poor insulator , so to avoid higher energy usage to keep warm it ’ s imperative to stop heat from escaping from the home with high quality insulation .
Proper insulation could be the difference between accessing parts of the house all year round , or seasonally .
A groundbreaking study by the University of Salford has independently tested leading conservatory insulation provider CI Group ’ s unique C . H . R . I . S ® system , revealing impressive results .
Richard Fitton , Professor of Building Performance at Salford Uni ’ s Energy House 2.0 , said : “ We found that the C . H . R . I . S ® system reduced the heat transfer by around 80 %. And how that works when you tie into the rest of the building , is the entire heat loss of the building reduced by about 30 %.”
3 . Airtight Construction Airtight construction is crucial for sustainable buildings . By carefully sealing the building envelope , architects can ensure minimal energy is lost through gaps , cracks , or leaks , especially in older buildings .
Grant Henshaw , Energy House 2.0 Research Fellow , said : “ In the UK , we have the oldest housing stock in Europe . Some 80 % of the homes that will be here 2050 already exist .”
Architects and builders can increase energy efficiency , thermal comfort , and maintain consistent indoor temperatures with minimal energy use by utilising airtightness , minimising heat loss and preventing drafts .
Airtight buildings also reduce the load on heating and cooling systems , which helps in meeting operational carbon reduction targets .
Proper ventilation systems , such as mechanical ventilation with heat recovery ( MVHR ), can ensure a healthy indoor environment while maintaining energy efficiency .
4 . Thermal Bridge-Free Design
Thermal bridges , where heat escapes through structural elements , can significantly undermine a building ’ s energy efficiency .
By designing with thermal bridge-free construction , architects eliminate weak points in the insulation layer .
This might involve using continuous insulation and careful detailing around junctions and penetrations such as the use of insulated brackets or thermally broken connectors .
Minimising thermal bridges directly aligns with the standard ’ s objective of reducing operational carbon emissions while enhancing the overall thermal performance of the building .
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