VIEWPOINT
responsibility to ensure our buildings are as good as they can be.
Energy efficiency is at the heart of the long-
awaited Future Homes Standard, which is in line with last year’s Committee on Climate Change (CCC) report, “UK housing: fit for the future?” But, whilst it has proposals for improved fabric efficiency standards to be introduced in 2020, to minimise heat loss from walls, windows, doors, floors and roofs, as well as through far more attention to detail at junctions, it could and should go much further.
Design and construction Having a key role to play in climate-resilient homes, PIR and PUR insulation is a highly effective solution, achieving excellent levels of thermal performance. The thermal performance of a building envelope makes a significant contribution to reducing the overall building energy usage – so tighter U-values in walls, floors and roofs will help to deliver the standards required.
Utilising the very high levels of thermal efficiency that PIR provides is the difference between a building’s success and its failure. With lambda values as low as 0.021 W/mK, PIR insulation is available as boards, blocks, and composite panels and PUR as spray and cavity injected insulation. Performance can be achieved with products that are thinner than other commonly used insulants.
Adopting a fabric-first approach competency in installation is vital because when a high performing product such as PIR/PUR is installed incorrectly, it could reduce thermal performance and undermine thermal efficiency. All contractors need to make sure the levels of site supervision are of a good standard. By adhering to the manufacturer’s installation instructions, airtightness and cold bridging will not be compromised. Addressing these aspects of construction means the thermal targets of Building Regulation and codes can be met and those performance levels can be incorporated into the finished building’s performance targets.
Installed to last, a fabric-first approach will enable specifiers to meet and even exceed regulatory performance criteria, whether it is for the largest public building or the smallest domestic extension. Furthermore, an energy efficient building can be improved further down the line with services, ventilation measures or the addition of renewable technologies.
Monitoring performance Whilst steadily increasing minimum energy performance standards for all buildings are needed, another challenge in raising standards is our lack of ability to measure and demonstrate a building’s performance over its lifetime. Residential and commercial properties could therefore benefit from a building passport, with regular checks being made,
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normalising the concept that buildings, like vehicles, must meet certain standards. This would also give full traceability of products and services installed into a building so that when it is bought/sold or renovated or after a certain amount of time an accurate log is kept. This passport could contain building-related information on elements such as energy consumption/ production, maintenance and building plans and should be transferable between building owners. This will go some way some to ensure buildings are sustainable and perform to the standard intended.
Environmental footprint The establishment of a circular economy will also play a role in the journey to net zero with the built environment responsible for creating an enormous amount of material and an estimated 30% of all waste to landfill. Insulation manufacturers already have plans to cut carbon emissions and power over half of their operations using renewable energy, some aiming to achieve this by the end of the decade. A well-rounded, holistic approach to energy efficiency in our built environment is essential if the UK is to meet the net zero target. The PIR insulation sector is well poised to help the construction industry deliver better performing buildings both now and in the future, and to help the UK achieve the ambitions of our climate change goals. For more information about IMA or to download best practice guides visit www.
insulationmanufacturers.org.uk BMJ
approach competency
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