Building Regulations govern all aspects of construction in the UK, but there is an increasing emphasis on energy efficiency as the country strives to meet net zero by 2050.
While these regulations enforce stringent energy efficiency standards for all new buildings, much of the UK’s building stock is already built and contributes significantly to energy consumption and CO2 emissions.
Existing buildings must be retrofitted if the UK is to achieve its energy targets, which starts with knowing how these buildings are currently performing, and which areas are key to improvement.
Measuring the Energy Performance of Existing Buildings
Specialist assessments and calculations can be carried out to measure the current energy performance of existing buildings – which, although non-invasive, provide valuable insights into their efficiency.
During any type of energy efficiency assessment, the fabric of the building should always be considered first. By ensuring that the envelope is as thermally efficient as possible, the energy consumption of heating and cooling processes will be minimised.
Building fabric efficiency can be measured in two main ways:
- Air Tightness – to identify unintentional air leakage
- Thermal Performance (Heat Transfer Coefficient) – in terms of its actual U-value and any thermal bridging issues
Air Tightness Testing
Air tightness is easily measured using the pulse air test or the blower door method, which provides the leakage rate in terms of the volume of air per square metre of the envelope. The leakage paths can then be identified using smoke testing and remedied as necessary.
Images courtesy of Build Test.
Heat Transfer Coefficient (HTC)
The Heat Transfer Coefficient of the building envelope can be measured with data gathered from sensors placed inside the building. This, alongside meter readings, can be used to calculate the actual U-value (the rate of transfer of heat through a structure).
These findings help to inform appropriate heating system sizing, particularly heat pumps, which are far more efficient if sized correctly for the space.
Thermographic Surveys
To complement air tightness and the Heat Transfer Coefficient (HTC), thermographic surveys offer an excellent visualisation of issues such as incomplete insulation, cold spots, and thermal bridging.
Images courtesy of Build Test.
Plus, using thermographic infrared cameras before and after retrofitting measures will empirically demonstrate the improvement of any installations, their success, and most of all, return on investment.
Retrofit Testing Services from Stroma Built Environment
Measuring the energy efficiency of existing buildings is a crucial step towards achieving the UK’s energy targets, providing the data needed to implement effective retrofitting measures that optimise the efficiency of buildings currently responsible for most of our energy consumption and CO2 emissions.
At Stroma, we offer a range of packages to support any new project, delivering professional retrofit testing and consultancy services to help you ensure regulatory compliance, reduce carbon emissions, and save on costs.
We can help with:
- Air tightness testing
- Heat Transfer Coefficient (HTC) testing
- Thermographic surveys
- Indoor air quality / moisture level testing
All our evaluation and testing services can be carried out before and after retrofit installations, providing clients with an accurate measurement of improvement progress throughout each project.
For more information or to speak to a member of our team, please get in touch.