Energy saving through building insulation and airtightness

Abstract

Carbon emissions attributable to the operation of new and existing buildings have never been more prominent in construction, and great strides have been made in developing more energy-efficient designs and building products. In the context of the building envelope, this commonly sees better insulating properties of plain elements, as well as more effective solar treatment/shading of glazing systems. Thermal bridging is also now being taken more seriously. The 2006 Building Regulations brought in simplified building energy model (SBEM) calculations, which set targets for carbon emission relative to a 2002 baseline. The building energy rating must be around 27% lower than a similar ‘notional’ building (designed to 2002 elemental standards) to see compliance with part L2A for new non-domestic buildings. Similar targets exist for dwellings (in part L1A) by way of standard assessment procedure calculations. ‘Backstops’ are in place to dictate minimum standards for all aspects of the building design affecting energy efficiency, but designers must decide which aspects may need to be enhanced to achieve compliance.