Energy Saving Tips

For:
1 Designers, Landlords and Housing Associations
2 Tenants/Occupiers

1.0 Designers, Landlords and Housing Associations

1. Type of Building envelope.
1.1 Type, thickness and location of insulation.
Putting the equivalent of an overcoat on the building by maximizing the insulation thickness is one of the most cost-effective ways of saving energy.

Consider…
* Increasing loft insulation. In most cases this is the most costeffective way to achieve higher insulation levels. The optimum thickness can be calculated but is likely to be 250mm of glassfibre or equivalent
* Using thermal blocks as the internal leaf in addition to cavity insulation will improve the insulation at minimal cost. The reduced thermal mass will also assist the heating system response.
* Widening the cavity above 100mm with full fill insulation and dense internal blocks will assist in providing stable internal temperatures, ideal in sheltered and high occupancy situations.
* Increasing floor insulation, adding edge insulation and minimizing the ratio of the floor perimeter to the floor area. Locate insulation below the slab for high occupancy situations, above the floor for low occupancy.
* Using high performance insulation to reduce thickness where insulation space is at a premium.

1.2 Orientation and sizing of windows
To achieve best orientations possible for individual dwellings with living areas facing South within 30º East or West, it is important to consider at planning stage different site layouts until the best configuration is arrived at.

Now consider glazing in more detail:
Orientation:

* Maximize South-facing glazed areas; minimize North facing glazing to reduce heating requirements. Aim to exceed 50% of the glazing on South facing elevations.
* Large South-facing glazed areas are best combined with the provision of dense material in South-facing rooms in order to store this heat and to release it at night; eg: use dense blocks for internal leaf and partition walls.
* Reducing glazed areas to less than 15% of the total floor area will limit the impact of poor orientation. However, this will in turn minimize the free energy available from solar gain.

Sizes:
* For timber framed buildings, restrict South-facing glazed areas to 12% of the total floor area to avoid summer over-heating.
* Window height, rather than width will admit daylight deeper into rooms.
* Lower window heads on South-facing elevations will admit sunshine in winter but restrict its radiant heat in summer.

Specification:
* To achieve the minimum Building Regulation requirements, window and door u-values need to be added together and (areaweighted) averaged. In most cases a minimum of soft low-e coatings and 16mm air-gap will be required

(These values apply to the elemental method; for more information see ‘Building Regulations L1’ under heading ‘Building Regulations’.)

1.3 Internal layouts and built form.
Aim for:
* Kitchens to the North elevation to benefit from waste heat.
* Entrance porches and garages to act as ‘buffer zones’ to the North.
* Lounges to South.
* Open plan as possible (facing N-S) for transmission of waste heat.
* Enclose entrance porches to form draught lobbies.
* Unheated South facing conservatories with summer blinds and adequate vents.

1.4 Ventilation and air infiltration control
As the Building Regulations require higher envelope insulation levels, ventilation and infiltration rates will contribute to a greater proportion of the heat loss.

‘Ventilate right’ by:
* Extracting at source moisture and odours, with good control.
* Providing background trickle ventilation in window heads.

‘Build tight’ by:
* Sealing the internal blockwork skin with a wet plaster finish.
* Incorporating a continuous membrane within timber frame envelope.

(see ‘Quality Control’ article in this section for more detail)

1.5 Heating equipment and controls
* Select fast response heating (such as electric panels) in lightweight structures
* Electric storage heating functions best in heavyweight buildings (eg: brick & block)
* Choose the most efficient heating equipment within your budget (grants may be available * Avoid siting thermostats in direct sunlight.
* Aim for user friendly controls.
* Provide occupier operating instructions with energy saving advice.

(see article ‘Building types v heating types’ under heading ‘Building Design Issues’)

2.0 Tenants/Occupiers

Heating equipment and controls
* Carefully read the heating equipment operating instructions and any energy saving advice provided.
* Ensure each heater has individual thermostat control, to avoid over heating.
* Keep thermostat settings low when rooms are unoccupied to avoid wasting heat.
* If rooms are too hot, turn the room thermostat down before you open windows.
* If you have storage heaters ensure the ‘input’ knob is on the correct setting.

Electrical appliances
* When buying a fridge, washing machine etc., choose a model with an ‘energy rating’ of A or B.
* Fit low energy light bulbs in high use areas (If you are on low income you may be able to get these free from your power company).

Energy efficiency measures
* Exterior doors
Eliminate draughts and wasted heat through external doors by fitting draught strips around frames, brush strips at the bottom and a letter box brush strip to all external doors.
* Floors
Stop draughts and heat escaping through floor boards and skirting boards by ensuring gaps are filled
* Windows
Make sure all windows are draught proofed. Close curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping through the windows.
* Heating system thermostats
Turning heating system thermostats down by only 1ºC could reduce heating bills by up to 10%. If you are away during the winter, leave thermostats on a low setting to provide protection from freezing at minimum cost.
* Hot water thermostats
Theres no need for scalding hot water – a cylinder thermostat setting of around 60ºC is fine for bathing and washing.
* Hot water use
A shower uses about half the water needed for a bath. Never leave hot water taps running without putting the plug in the basin or sink.
* Lighting
Make sure lights are switched off when leaving a room, and open curtains or blinds to let in as much light as possible during the day. Consider replacing energy saving light bulbs, particularly for lights that are used most often. Low energy light bulbs use around only 25% of the energy needed by a normal bulb and last up to 12 times longer.
* Appliances
Dont leave appliances such as TVs or Videos on stand-by, as this uses almost as much energy as leaving them switched on.
* Fridges and Freezers
Dont open fridge doors for longer than necessary and allow warm food to cool before putting in the fridge. Defrost fridges and freezers regularly to keep them running efficiently.
* Washing machines
If you can, always wash a full load, or use an economy programme. Modern washing powders are just as effective when washing at low temperatures.
* Kettles
Heat only the amount of water you need in a kettle. Jug type kettles need less water as they have smaller elements.
* Hot water cylinders
Fit an insulating jacket to your hot water cylinder. A British Standard jacket will be at least 7.5cm thick.
* Hot water pipes
Hot water pipes can be insulated to stop heat escaping. The best pipes to insulate are the ones between the boiler and the hot water cylinder.
Information supplied by Dimplex

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