Four in five UK homes that will be occupied in 2050 have already been built, which means the race is on to retrofit our ageing housing stock to meet tightening energy efficiency standards. This will also result in reduced bills, healthier homes and a better living environment.
With insulation key to upgrading homes, specifiers have a huge opportunity to help shape a more sustainable and comfortable built environment.
The fabric must come first.
With nearly six million UK houses built before 1919 and over half built before the first insulation requirements were added to the Building Regulations in 1965, the scale of the challenge is clear. Many of these ageing buildings are poorly insulated, lose vast amounts of heat and require substantial work. But the sheer volume and variability of the UK’s older building stock means a one-size-fits-all solution simply can’t work.
THE REGULATORY VIEW
While higher standards for energy efficiency have been introduced for newbuild housing, culminating in the Future Homes Standard becoming mandatory in 2026, there is very little to promote and deliver the improvements needed for existing buildings.
The Government’s £15 billion Warm Homes Plan has set an ambitious pathway to help close that performance gap, with grants and low-interest loans to support investments in insulation, solar panels, batteries, and low-carbon heating systems.
These measures aim to lower energy bills and reduce emissions, helping to address the UK’s notoriously inefficient housing stock.
To reach net zero by 2050 (2045 in Scotland), it will be vital to make improvements to homes and other buildings to reduce emissions. This means installing a whole range of energy saving measures; from better insulation and more efficient appliances to replacing fossil fuelled boilers with low carbon alternatives such as heat pumps.
FABRIC FIRST
For specifiers, improving insulation remains one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to reduce energy demand and cut CO2 . Lower U-values in walls, floors and roofs will result in less heat loss and better thermal performance which, in turn, will help to deliver higher energy efficiency standards.
Polyisocyanurate (PIR) and polyurethane (PUR) are some of the most effective insulation products available and provide versatile solutions in the form of boards, blocks, cavity injected, composite panels, and spray or panel insulation.
These highly effective products ensure that heat loss is substantially reduced for enhanced energy efficiency.
Well insulated buildings do more than retain heat, as they can also improve occupant comfort and wellbeing.
A thermally efficient building fabric helps to maintain stable, comfortable indoor temperatures during both the winter and summer months, supporting the physical and mental health of building users.
Another benefit is tackling fuel poverty.
This issue is alleviated as a greater proportion of heat is retained more effectively in homes when incorporating superior fabric efficiencies. A properly insulated home has a direct impact on fuel bills, especially in the winter.
SETTING THE STANDARD
No retrofit specification should proceed without a thorough assessment of the building’s existing condition. A competent assessor should carry out an accurate energy audit to establish a baseline before any solution is defined.
Factors such as the building’s design, location and construction materials may influence the best solution; correct detailing, materials and process are all important considerations, as is pre-installation preparation and other remedial work such as ensuring gutters and downpipes do not leak.
An adequate ventilation scheme should also be introduced as improved airtightness will alter the air flow and internal building environment. www.insulationmanufacturers .org.uk