Middlesborough or Marbella?
Does the adoption of 'Mediterranean-style' house types really offer the answer to greater energy efficiency in new build homes?
By Phil Harris, Marketing Director, Tarmac Topfloor
Early this year, as government laid down its controversial 2016 zero carbon homes target, Yvette Cooper, Housing and Planning Minister also called on UK housebuilders to incorporate Mediterranean-style features into new build homes.
Whilst I don't think anybody believes that the future for all new build residential developments in the UK is a picture postcard vision of white washed walls and terracotta roofs, as we face greater fluctuations in temperature, the design and specification of building materials will inevitably involve some features perhaps more associated with traditionally warmer climates.
Building materials that can deliver greater energy efficiency, as well as provide comfortable living environments for homeowners - without the need for potentially inefficient and costly air conditioning systems - will be critical to mitigate the impact of climate change on the way we live.
Across the Mediterranean, concrete is used extensively in homes to increase the thermal mass performance of a property. It is an age-old method that helps to reduce the effects of the intense summer heat. In these buildings, concrete can act as a thermal sponge or Fabric Energy Storage (FES) system, to simultaneously cool dwellings in the summer as well as providing insulating qualities in the winter.
Incorporating greater thermal mass to the fabric of residential new build properties in the UK can be achieved by looking at the individual elements that make up the building envelope. Precast concrete flooring has a proven track record in delivering improved thermal performance in domestic and commercial properties, but is often overlooked. However, it is one building product that is well placed to help deliver better insulation and energy efficiency in new homes both now and into the future.
It is likely that the Part L Building Regulations will become even tighter in coming years, and this is something that the industry needs to be prepared for. Our product development programme at Tarmac Topfloor means we are able to offer flooring solutions that deliver greater insulation and energy efficiency. Heatsave Plus, our new thermally efficient flooring system, is already capable of achieving exceptionally low U-values of up to 0.18 w/m2k and comfortably exceeds the 2006 revisions to Part L.
Heatsave Plus works by combining the insulating properties of rigid, expanded polystyrene infill panels (EPS) and minimal cold bridging, to deliver higher thermal performance and help to cut energy bills. It also eliminates the need for additional insulation or chipboard, so can significantly reduce installation costs and build time.
And unlike alternative flooring systems that use polystyrene, the EPS panels in Heatsave Plus are positioned between pre-stressed concrete beams rather than on top, so that loading stresses are placed directly onto the beams.
The future of homes in the UK is set to change, but by drawing from the building methods used in hotter countries, the UK can learn how to adapt, and meet the challenges of climate change. Although new build residential developments may not be 'true' Mediterranean-style properties, the use of materials that are proven to deliver the energy efficiency benefits of thermal mass must now be considered as a priority.
To request a free Heatsave Plus brochure, call 08456 044 114 quoting code PR004 or visit the Tarmac Topfloor website at www.tarmactopfloor.co.uk
