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How Materials Can Help You Meet Regulations

New buildings must meet a growing list of regulations on energy efficiency. How you use materials will affect your chances of passing those regulations and the cost of doing so.

As planners and developers strive to comply with increasingly ambitious energy savings regulations, one area which often gets overlooked is the importance of the materials you use. These can be every bit as vital as the use of fuel and equipment. Indeed, while some may see the two topics as being separate, they are inextricably linked. 

How Materials Can Help You Meet Regulations

New buildings must meet a growing list of regulations on energy efficiency. How you use materials will affect your chances of passing those regulations and the cost of doing so.

As planners and developers strive to comply with increasingly ambitious energy savings regulations, one area which often gets overlooked is the importance of the materials you use. These can be every bit as vital as the use of fuel and equipment. Indeed, while some may see the two topics as being separate, they are inextricably linked. 

The importance of materials

When planning buildings steps must be taken to ensure fabric complies with the regulations as well as services such as HVAC. This means means floors, roofs and buildings. Get these wrong and you may find that the U values, which determine energy efficiency, will not be low enough to comply with the demands of the regulators.

It is important to view services and materials together as part of the wider process, because that’s how they should work. If everything is functioning correctly, they should be in harmony. Junctions around each element such as corners, sills and jams around windows are crucial. If they aren’t designed well energy can leak out of the buildings.

If you have a highly insulated building with low air permeability, you might consider mechanical ventilation and/or heat recovery to regulate temperature within the building and ward off the threat of interstitial condensation. It might also have an impact on the kind of heating used. A highly insulated building which feels like a sealed box might not need so much energy to heat it.

For example, a regular building might need gas heating which is pumping out water at 45 degrees. However, if the building is already well insulated, you might be able to use something more efficient such as a ground source pump putting water out as just 35 degrees. Not only will this make it easier to comply with energy efficiency regulations, but it will also work out cheaper for the owners to run.

Changing materials

The construction materials will have a major say on energy usage. The traditional approach has been to use bricks and mortar built with masonry which uses a cavity as the insulating element within the wall. Over the past 50 years, insulating material has been developed which can be placed inside the cavity to increase the insulation efficiency of the cavity. Today there is a fantastic range of advanced materials which improve energy efficiency without an increase in thickness. This is keeping costs down and improving the overall insulating qualities of the building.

At Carbon Green Consulting we work hard to stay up to date with the latest trends and developments in terms of insulating material. We do this by researching on the internet, staying up to date with industry news, attending events and liaising with producers. This gives us an extensive oversight of the wider sector and to ensure that we’re always positioned to give the best advice on what type of insulation you should use.

Timber frame buildings

More recently, trends have shifted from bricks and mortar towards timber framed buildings. These can be quick to build and have high energy efficiency ratings. However, they have different qualities to masonry which will affect your approach.

Masonry has a high thermal mass which means energy is stored within the materials and ensures there are much less pronounced peaks and troughs of internal temperatures. When the heating is turned off, the heat stays within the building and it stays warm for longer. Timber framed buildings, though, lack the same level of thermal mass. Heat leaves it swiftly and, once heating is removed, the building will become cold quite quickly. In addition, there may be a danger of overheating in timber frame building as external heat from the sun cannot be stored as they may be in a masonry building which has high thermal mass.

When we get involved with planners, we will consult with them and offer advice on the best materials to use. We will conduct an energy and sustainability statement in which we’ll discuss with them what the opportunities are depending on whether they want to go with timber or masonry. Once we’ve done that, we can work with to develop an effective strategy going forward.

It can be a complicated process. To ensure the best results for all parties, we need to take account of the materials being used and the latest developments in material technologies to ensure each project has the best approach to energy efficiency. This is, we’d say, where the value of an expert consultancy comes into its own. By taking advantage of our expertise, you can see where the challenges lie and all the options available to meet regulatory requirements for the most affordable price. With the Government determined to achieve some ambitious energy efficiency goals, a little knowledge here can go a long way.

The importance of materials

When planning buildings steps must be taken to ensure fabric complies with the regulations as well as services such as HVAC. This means means floors, roofs and buildings. Get these wrong and you may find that the U values, which determine energy efficiency, will not be low enough to comply with the demands of the regulators.

It is important to view services and materials together as part of the wider process, because that’s how they should work. If everything is functioning correctly, they should be in harmony. Junctions around each element such as corners, sills and jams around windows are crucial. If they aren’t designed well energy can leak out of the buildings.

If you have a highly insulated building with low air permeability, you might consider mechanical ventilation and/or heat recovery to regulate temperature within the building and ward off the threat of interstitial condensation. It might also have an impact on the kind of heating used. A highly insulated building which feels like a sealed box might not need so much energy to heat it.

For example, a regular building might need gas heating which is pumping out water at 45 degrees. However, if the building is already well insulated, you might be able to use something more efficient such as a ground source pump putting water out as just 35 degrees. Not only will this make it easier to comply with energy efficiency regulations, but it will also work out cheaper for the owners to run.

Changing materials

The construction materials will have a major say on energy usage. The traditional approach has been to use bricks and mortar built with masonry which uses a cavity as the insulating element within the wall. Over the past 50 years, insulating material has been developed which can be placed inside the cavity to increase the insulation efficiency of the cavity. Today there is a fantastic range of advanced materials which improve energy efficiency without an increase in thickness. This is keeping costs down and improving the overall insulating qualities of the building.

At Carbon Green Consulting we work hard to stay up to date with the latest trends and developments in terms of insulating material. We do this by researching on the internet, staying up to date with industry news, attending events and liaising with producers. This gives us an extensive oversight of the wider sector and to ensure that we’re always positioned to give the best advice on what type of insulation you should use.

Timber frame buildings

More recently, trends have shifted from bricks and mortar towards timber framed buildings. These can be quick to build and have high energy efficiency ratings. However, they have different qualities to masonry which will affect your approach.

Masonry has a high thermal mass which means energy is stored within the materials and ensures there are much less pronounced peaks and troughs of internal temperatures. When the heating is turned off, the heat stays within the building and it stays warm for longer. Timber framed buildings, though, lack the same level of thermal mass. Heat leaves it swiftly and, once heating is removed, the building will become cold quite quickly. In addition, there may be a danger of overheating in timber frame building as external heat from the sun cannot be stored as they may be in a masonry building which has high thermal mass.

When we get involved with planners, we will consult with them and offer advice on the best materials to use. We will conduct an energy and sustainability statement in which we’ll discuss with them what the opportunities are depending on whether they want to go with timber or masonry. Once we’ve done that, we can work with to develop an effective strategy going forward.

It can be a complicated process. To ensure the best results for all parties, we need to take account of the materials being used and the latest developments in material technologies to ensure each project has the best approach to energy efficiency. This is, we’d say, where the value of an expert consultancy comes into its own. By taking advantage of our expertise, you can see where the challenges lie and all the options available to meet regulatory requirements for the most affordable price. With the Government determined to achieve some ambitious energy efficiency goals, a little knowledge here can go a long way.

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