Energy efficiency 7 10 6 8 9 11 5 16 12 4 13 3 2 1


15 14


1 Under floor ventilator grilles


2 Gaps in and around suspended timber floors


3 Leaky windows or doors


4 Pathway through floor/ceiling voids into cavity walls and then to outside


5 Gaps around windows 6 Gaps at the ceiling to wall joints 7 Open chimney 8 Gaps around attic hatches 9 Service penetration in ceilings


10 Vents penetrating the ceiling/roof 11 Bathroom wall vent or extractor fan


12 Gaps around the bathroom waste pipes


13 Kitchen wall vent or extractor fan 14 Gaps around kitchen waste pipes


15 Gaps around wall to floor joints (especially with timber frame)


16 Gaps in and around electrical fittings in hollow walls


Figure 2. Most common air leakage paths in a residential building4


Insulation and glazing It is crucial that a building is fully insulated over its entire exterior skin to retain maximum heat, yet often this is lacking at the junctions, the so-called ‘weak points’, which include walls, windows, floors and roofs. Reducing heat loss through the roof space by installing a good layer of loft insulation (recommended 270 mm depth) could result in a 12 per cent reduction in the energy consumption associated with space heating.3


No


significant level of skill is required to lay loft insulation and this task could be undertaken by a site maintenance officer.


Draught proofing Loft insulation


Cavity wall insulation


LED replacement bulbs A-rated gas boiler


Suspended floor insulation Double glazing


Solid wall internal insulation


Solid wall external insulation Air source heat pump


Ground source heat pump


Biomass wood pellet boiler Solar thermal panels Wind turbine


Solar PV panels 0 10 20 30 40 50 Payback (Years)


Figure 3. Payback times for energy saving or generating measures5 40


60 70 80 Uniformly insulating the walls of


a building could reduce energy consumption by six per cent3


and can


be carried out retrospectively by a professional installer with relative ease where the construction is of the cavity wall type. For solid walls, the process is more difficult and costly, but isn’t insurmountable as the exterior walls can be dry lined either externally or internally, albeit with varying levels of success with regard to energy saving (Fig 3). Single glazed windows are a primary


cause of condensation, although some older and even modern double glazed windows do condensate, usually due to


Not taking into account grants, free samples, renewable heat incentives or feed-in tariffs (for wind turbine/solar PV panels) that are over and above the basic rate. Data based on information supplied by the Energy Saving Trust for a domestic dwelling heated using gas.


poor manufacturing and inadequate installation. They can also allow heat to escape if poorly fitted or not correctly sealed, both between the panes and frame and between the frame and walls, or as a result of deterioration over time when the double glazed units can lose their gas filling. Correctly manufactured new double


glazing units may have ultra low U-values that can reduce heat loss and consequent energy consumption associated with space heating by three per cent; for example by replacing single glazing with ‘A’ rated windows.3


They may


also greatly improve the thermal comfort of residents. However, double glazing is a major expense and the payback time is very slow (Fig 3); it may therefore be worthwhile considering investing in secondary glazing or even using heavy drapes where suitable.


Construction When looking for ways to make long term savings to your energy bills, first consider the fabric of the residence itself and pinpoint where front line and often low cost improvements can be made before embarking on any measures that may involve significant expense, such as installing energy generating or streamlining systems. Figure 3 illustrates the comparative


payback times for the various methods of energy efficiency improvement. Actual payback times have been calculated for an average domestic dwelling, since there are scant figures available for the average care home; this


www.thecarehomeenvi ronment .com • January 2017


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44