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78 INSULATION


Warming to lower cost refurbishment


With new energy efficiency standards now in force, some properties needing upgrading could incur significant refurbishment costs. New insulation technologies could help ease the pain, says Hudson Lambert of Safeguard Europe


U-value at a fraction of the cost and with far less disruption. Developed in the aerospace and oil and gas sectors, these aerogels exhibit the lowest thermal conductivity of any material.


By combining aerogel insulation with a masonry ‘cream’ – which keeps walls dry, and hence means they will conduct less heat – it is possible to boost a property’s EPC rating significantly. Smaller properties will move from F to E rating with these measures alone, while larger ones will require a limited amount of additional expenditure. The MEES, which came out of The


The first place to start is the fabric of the building: walls, roof, windows, doors. By far the greatest heat loss is through a property’s walls


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n 1 April 2018, the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) came into force. These standards state that all commercial and residential properties must achieve an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of Grade E or above to be rented out. One group of properties that present a particular problem are those with solid walls, which have historically been difficult and costly to insulate. And this is no small problem. The National Insulation Association (NAI) estimates that around 36 per cent of the UK’s 24.5 million dwellings have solid brick, stone or concrete walls. However, new, more cost-effective solutions are coming to market. Materials engineers are making use of new technologies to create incredibly slim insulation which boosts a property’s


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Energy Act 2011, currently applies only to properties that are being let for the first time or where the lease is being renewed. There are some exceptions, which include listed buildings, conservation areas, and buildings which are deemed to have had as much energy upgrade work as possible. From April 2020, MEES will apply to all rented homes, and from April 2023, all rented commercial properties must meet the grade. This means that landlords will only have a limited time to make the necessary upgrades to their properties.


So where to start?


The first place to start is the fabric of the building: walls, roof, windows, doors. By far the greatest heat loss is through a property’s walls. Take the example of a Victorian end-of- terrace house, which, even with loft insulation and double-glazing was still given an EPC rating of F. This is because over half of the heat lost – 54 per cent – was passing through the walls.


A lack of insulation is an obvious reason for the huge heat loss, but another likely contributor is damp walls. As well as causing discomfort and potential health problems, damp walls increase the rate of heat loss by a factor of up to two.


ADF MARCH 2019


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