Insulation

The Problem
Armed with the latest U-value testing equipment, and excited by the improved thermal performance data shown by the next generation SprayCork material in the lab, Corksol set out to assess the product’s thermal insulation performance as a Thin Internal Wall Insulation in a real-life situation.

The background to the testing was the UK Government’s March 2021 report on Thin Internal Wall Insulation (TIWI), which highlighted the potentially very large nationwide benefits for both energy efficiency and fuel poverty from high performance TIWI systems. The chosen test property was an 1890’s solid walled Yorkshire stone detached cottage in Halifax.

Meeting the upcoming Future Homes Standard will likely require affordable housing providers and housebuilders to find new ways of constructing high-performing, thermally efficient homes. Coupled with the need for cost-control, speed of construction and repeatability of design, the off-site manufacture of components is also gaining momentum.

Tom Cox, Technical and Development Director at Saint-Gobain Off-Site Solutions discusses the company’s new closed panel timber solution, Thermistud™️ and how the business has combined the benefits of off-site construction with a tested structural system to offer a scalable solution for building sustainable and energy-efficient homes.

Façade systems, and especially the cladding of high-rise buildings, have been, and continue to be, the topic of increased discussion and scrutiny in the construction industry and beyond. Due to recent changes in building regulations, the main driver for recladding projects has been the improvement of fire performance, although new, modern cladding can also improve other aspects of the environment for the users of the building like the thermal and acoustic performance with the added benefit of an updated, aesthetically pleasing design.

As winter’s icy grip bites harder, the effective insulation and sealing of windows and doors is a priority, says Andy Swift, sales and operations manager for foam sealants specialist, ISO Chemie.As winter’s icy grip bites harder, the effective insulation and sealing of windows and doors is a priority, says Andy Swift, sales and operations manager for foam sealants specialist, ISO Chemie.
 
He says it’s not just the frames themselves that need attention when it comes to keeping out the cold this winter - it’s the entire installation which has to be addressed.
 
Most property owners probably don’t realise that they are among the majority with energy inefficient windows until they feel a cold draught from somewhere, or see their electric and gas bills rapidly escalate as they struggle to keep their properties warm.

Britain has an existing housing stock that is the oldest in Europe. And this means that many properties don’t have any insulation – in fact, only about 50% have cavity or solid wall insulation.
Heat loss in a house happens faster in poorly insulated homes. So with no insulation, the existing stock of houses aren’t as energy efficient as they could, and should, be.
It’s generally considered that about 35% of heat lost is through the walls, and 25% is through the roof. The lack of insulation means that cold, external walls are the chief culprit for heat loss because, without adequate insulation, they don’t keep heat inside the home, which makes it harder to maintain a comfortable temperature and causes energy bills to rise as thermostats are turned up higher and are left on for longer. And with the majority of heating systems being reliant upon fossil fuels, not only do energy bills increase but the impact on the planet is also significant.

Compared to pre-industrial times, average land temperatures have risen about 1.2 °C. By 2052, global temperatures will likely exceed pre-industrial levels by 1.5 °C. The Met Office is warning that heat waves will become more frequent and more intense, predicting prolonged heat waves every other year from 2050 onwards, with temperatures exceeding 40 °C. How will the UK housing stock fare in all this? Not well, as two major 2021 studies have shown.

Safeguard Europe, experts in waterproofing, have developed a series of Webinars that are completely free to attend. These offer both technical and practical advice on moisture management in buildings. One of these webinars is focused around the causes & treatment of penetrating damp, which will only become more prevalent in the coming years. With the help of the Association for Environment Conscious Building and Simmonds Mill Architects, they carried out a case study in a bid to develop an easy solution to help protect vulnerable homes from heavy rainfalls.