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A typical hospitality building loses about two-thirds of heat through the walls, ceilings and floors. Stop losing heat and money today. Good insulation will also decrease the risk of mouldy walls and ceilings as there's less condensation on a warmer surface.
Insulating walls, floors and roof spaces and improving the performance of windows can result not only in money saving. You'll also have a better temperature control and you'll reduce your carbon emissions. It will also increase the comfort for guests.
When your building is draught-free, your heating system doesn’t have to work so hard. Draught proofing can be a cheap and effective way of saving some energy and improving comfort. Cold air gets in:
Many draught proofing solutions are relatively low cost and easy to install.
|
Area |
Draught exclusion measure |
|
Letter box / door base |
Brush strips |
|
Doors / windows |
Rubber or foam seals |
|
Damaged windows |
Silicone sealants |
|
Keyhole |
Keyhole covers |
If a one pence coin can slide between a window and its frame, draught proofing will be cost effective and improve comfort.
Myth - Small gaps around doors don't let in much cold air.
Reality - A door with a 3mm gap will let in as much cold air as a hole in the wall the size of a brick.
Double-glazing is an easy win when you're replacing windows. Triple glazing can be even better.
High performance glass is coated to redirect heat back into a room or prevents heat / cold from entering from the outside.
These can be classified using an A to G rating, with A being the best. The rating takes into account coatings, triple-glazing and evacuated cavities. Higher performing glass is more expensive. So, please check energy saving properties against installations coast to get the best value.
Floors are often overlooked as an area for energy saving, but nearly 10% of heat lost from a building occurs via the ground floor.
Around 9% of heat lost in a building is through the walls. Walls can be insulated through cavity wall insulation, external or internal wall insulation. The most appropriate insulation for your business will depend on the building fabric. Improving insulation is particularly cost-effective in cavity walls.
For solid walls, insulation behind plasterboard is very effective if there are no gaps. Ideally you should use 200mm of mineral wool or 100mm of urethane board. You can even buy urethane already bonded onto plasterboard. This is particularly suitable on ceilings below flat roofs too. Always ensure that the moisture removal system in your walls is not altered.
There can be opposition to insulating old properties, as this can cause moisture problems. These problems are normally associated with a lack of roof and gutter maintenance, which causes water ingress that is not picked up. Water ingress will always cause higher energy consumption as the water must evaporate off. Regularly maintain the roof and guttering, whatever the weather to avoid this.
Over 20% of heat in a building is lost through the roof. Adding insulation to your roof is one of the most effective energy saving measures you can take – particularly with pitched roofs. In fact, insulating loft spaces in a building could reduce heat loss by 25%, providing a payback in 1-4 years. You can also upgrade existing insulation in most lofts by adding to what is already there (providing it is in good condition and not damp). If there is less than 15cm of insulation, it is worth adding more.
There are several types of insulation which may be suitable for different methods of insulation. These include mineral wool, sheep’s wool, blown insulation, and rigid insulation board.
For loft insulation, we'd recommend 350mm thickness, ideally in two layers at 90 degrees to each other. Make sure the loft space above can still breathe to avoid moisture build up.
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