Improving Energy Efficiency in Traditional Buildings

1. Improving Energy Efficiency in Traditional Buildings Moses Jenkins Technical Conservation Group

2. Contents • Traditionally constructed buildings • Building elements: improvement options • Windows • Walls • Roofs • Floors • Doors

3. Vapour movement in a traditionally built home. We can improve efficiency, but must be careful not to compromise this dynamic.

4. Typical energy efficiency upgrade using expanded phenolic foam

5. Traditional passive ventilation systems

6. If we get it wrong..

7. Windows

8. Draught Stripping

9. Existing options – shutters & blinds – gave significant improvements u-value 1.8

10. Secondary glazing

11. Secondary glazing : U Value 1.7

12. secondary glazing manufactured by a joiner

13. new sealed units within existing sashes, u-value 1.3

14. A new check is cut and the unit puttied in place

15. Upgraded sashes awaiting re-hanging

16. Walls

17. Historic Scotland research has examined 3 approaches to insulating mass masonry walls: • Putting insulation behind existing wall lining • Applying material directly to the masonry “on the hard” • Framing out and putting material between the timber

18. Bonded polystyrene bead u-value 0.31 U-value improvement 68%

19. 30mm Calcium silicate board applied directly to mass masonry

20. Preparation for application of board (left) and the build up of the board and finishing layers (right), u-value improvement from 2.1 to 1

21. 10mm Aerogel blanket fixed directly to mass masonry

22. Aerogel blanket particularly useful on curved walls, u-value improved from 1.3 to 0.6

23. Where previous linings have been lost or are irreparable more substantial interventions can be made

24. Hemp board – u-value 0.21 Thermal improvement 78%

25. 80mm Wood fibre board u value 0.19 Thermal improvement 81%

26. Clay board (right) ready for application of clay plaster (left)

27. 100mm cellulose fibre blown on the hard – U value 0.28 Thermal improvement 71%

28. Aerogel insulated board – 50mm u value 0.31 Thermal improvement 65%

29. An important element of the testing program is monitoring of moisture build up

30. Moisture monitoring following the application of the insulation at Sword Street

31. External Insulation Maybe not here…

32. But what about here?

33. Wood fibre insulation, Glasgow

34. Negative visual impact of external insulation

35. Floors

36. Is it worth lifting this?

37. Sheep’s wool pinned to under floor joists

38. Hemp board between joists held in place with timber runners, u-value improvement 2.4 to 0.7

39. Breathable?

40. Stone floors – can this be improved?

41. Laying the insulated floor as a homogenous layer

42. Concrete floors can be lifted and insulated lime concrete floor laid in its place

43. Lime concrete layer being mixed, laid and flags laid on top

44. Aerogel board placed over concrete floor, u-value improvement 3.9 to 0.8

45. Lofts and roof spaces

46. Should be 275mm thick whatever material used

47. Vapour permeable options most appropriate such as sheep’s wool or wood fibre board

48. Sheep’s wool between joists, u-value improvement 1.5 to 0.3 (wood fibre board u-value 0.2)

49. Insulating behind existing roof linings in inhabited loft space, u-value improvement 1.6 to 0.8

50. Blowing bonded bead into a mansard dormer cheek insulation behind the plasterboard