1. What are the advantages of making improvements to my home for me and the environment?
There are many advantages of improving the energy efficiency of your home, including increased comfort, reduced running costs and a healthier indoor environment due to the decreased risk of condensation and mould. Making energy efficiency improvements to your home will reduce its heating demand and therefore reduce fossil fuel usage which will help to tackle to climate change. Making energy efficiency improvements to your house is likely to increase its value if you decide to sell it [1].
To demonstrate how low the energy demand of a building can be, the Passivhaus Trust estimates a typical UK home has a space heating demand of 130-140kWh/m2/yr [2]. A house built to the Passive House Standard will have a space heating demand of 15kWh/m2/yr or less. This figure shows how different the performance of buildings can be, and it doesn’t just apply to new-builds, it is possible to make significant improvements to existing buildings too. For example, Enerphit, which is the Passive House retrofit standard, stipulates a maximum space heating demand of 25kWh/m2/yr [3].
2. What are some effective ways to reduce energy consumption in everyday household activities?
There are simple things you can do to reduce your energy consumption. These include:
- Turn off appliances when you aren’t using them. You can use an energy usage monitor to find out which electrical items use a lot of power when on standby, and make sure these are fully turned off when not in use. If you have old appliances (older than 10-15 years depending on the type of appliance) consider replacing them as older appliances use more energy than modern models. Make sure you dispose of your old model responsibly and recycle it if possible.
- Turn off the heating and close the doors to rooms that you aren’t using.
- Install thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) on all your radiators which allow you to control the temperature of your radiators based on the temperature of the room.
- Turn down the flow temperature on your heating system if possible. It is important not to turn down the hot water heating to below 65 degrees Celsius to avoid the risk of legionella bacteria in the water. If you have a conventional boiler with a hot water cylinder you can reduce the flow temperature to no lower than 65 degrees Celsius [4]. If you have a combi boiler then you can reduce the temperature of the radiators only. You can use trial and error to find the lowest flow temperature for your radiators without reducing the internal temperature below a comfortable level.
- Buy appliances that are the correct size for your needs. For example, consider what size washing machine/dishwasher/oven you need before purchasing new appliances.
- Also consider what appliances/fittings you need and don’t install unnecessary ones for example tumble driers, excess light fittings.
3. How can windows and doors be upgraded to improve energy efficiency and minimize heat loss?
There are various options for upgrading windows and doors, depending on the type of windows and doors you have and their condition.
The thermal performance of different types of windows varies dramatically, for example the thermal performance of some triple glazing is about 7 x better than some single glazing.
Below are some tips for upgrading or replacing windows and doors to improve the performance of the thermal envelope of your building.
- If you have single glazing, or windows and doors that are in poor condition consider replacing it with double or triple glazing.
- If you have double glazing that is old or the seals have failed but the window frames are in good condition you can replace the double-glazed units with modern units to improve the performance without having to replace the whole window.
- If you have single glazing and live in a listed building then you may not be able to replace historic glazing with modern windows. In this case secondary glazing might be a good option. In secondary glazing systems, a separate, double-glazed unit is fitted inside the window reveal to provide the performance of double glazing but without affecting the external appearance of the building. Secondary glazing is generally cheaper than replacing windows so it is also a good option for those with a lower budget who are looking to improve the thermal performance of their windows.
- It is also important to think about the window/door reveal – this can be insulated to minimise cold bridges around the window/door.
4. Are older properties more difficult to make energy efficient due to their construction? 100 years plus...
It is completely possible to improve the energy efficiency of older houses, including those with solid walls or timber frames. In fact, older buildings are often the worst performing so there is the most opportunity to improve. Work to historic buildings may require consent, so make sure you get all the permissions required before doing any work to a historic building. At Keystone, we have experience of upgrading the thermal performance of historic buildings, and working with listed and heritage buildings generally and can assist you in gaining any necessary consents.
The construction of old buildings is often breathable – which means that the building fabric allows moisture to move through it which prevents damp from occurring. Changing the construction can affect the way the building works and trap moisture which can cause damp and damage the structure. Therefore it is important to think carefully about the existing building and how it works and choose an appropriate solution. This will often involve specifying breathable insulation and finishes.
Replacing the windows and doors in heritage properties can make a big difference to their environmental performance. If you live in a conservation area or a listed building there are sensitive options for replacement doors and glazing that provide modern levels of performance with a traditional aesthetic. If replacing doors or windows is not permitted due to their heritage value you can install secondary glazing to improve the performance of windows and doors without removing historic fabric.
Historic buildings are often very leaky – this means that they can lose lots of heat in the winter through uncontrolled air infiltration. If this uncontrolled ventilation is reduced through added insulation and improved fittings then to prevent the build- up of moisture, pollutants and toxins it may be necessary to add other forms of controlled background ventilation to provide an adequate supply of fresh air to the building.
At Keystone Architecture and Design we are passionate about improving the sustainability of the built environment. We have the knowledge and skills to take a holistic approach to designing your new building or extension, ensuring you get a high- performance building with the spaces you need and the finish quality you want. If you are considering a high-performance new build, a Passive House project or retrofitting an existing property please contact us to see how we can help by email, phone or by using the contact form on our website.
07752 979244
[1] https://www.psinvestors.co.uk/blog/2019/09/does-energy-efficiency-always-increase-a-homes- value/#:~:text=25%2C000%20in%20value.-,Lower%20operational%20costs%20for%20the%20homeowner,the%20homeb uyer%20in%20the%20future.
[2] https://briaryenergy.co.uk/knowledge-bank/parts-l-and-f-of-building-regulations-planned- changes/#:~:text=To%20conceptualise%20this%20figure%2C%20the,%2D140kWh%2Fm2%2Fyr.
[3] https://passipedia.org/_media/picopen/9f_160815_phi_building_criteria_en.pdf
[4] https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/should-i-turn-boilers-flow-temperature-down/