Research

And

Development

Paul Davies

Sustainable

Technologies Manager

November 2012

*

Presentation Overview

1. The Problem

2. Research projects - an overview

3. Greener homes for red bridge

4. Victorian Terrace

5. Retrofit for the future

6. Improving thermal efficiency

7. Bio based construction products

8. Where next?

Residential Carbon Emissions since 1970 ONS report 7th February 2012

Uk increasingly reliant on gas import

Residential energy consumption by fuel source O ECUK DTI July 2011

Coal

Oil

Gas

Electric

Renewables

Residential reliance on gas has grown ECUK DTI July 2011

DTI 2004

Residential energy consumption

DTI 2004

DTI 2004

ETI & Retrofit for The Future

BRE

The Victorian

Terrace

Completed in

June 2010

Test bed used

to gain

knowledge in

how best to

upgrade solid

wall housing

East Thames

Greener Homes

for Redbridge

Completed in

March 2010

Test bed for a

code for

sustainable

refurbishment

TSB

Retrofit for the

Future

Completed in

2011

Pilot

programme to

refurbish

existing

properties to the

2050 standard

TSB

Energy

Efficient Bio

Based

Insulation

Complete in

2012

Combining

natural

insulation

with PCM's

Research projects

ETI

Optimising

Thermal

Efficiency of

Existing

Housing

Complete in

July 2012

How to

refurbish 26

million homes

DEFRA

Hemp lime

buildings

Complete in

2012

Experimental

hemp lime

building

East Thames

Greener

Homes for

Redbridge

Completed in

March 2010

Test bed for a

code for

sustainable

refurbishment

East Thames Group purchased 20 properties in Redbridge

A number of different environmental specifications where developed

for these homes, aiming to refurbish them to improve their

sustainability, in particular water and energy efficiency.

Monitored for 2 years post occupancy

Funded By:

Project Partners:

Supported by:

East Thames

Greener

Homes for

Redbridge

LED lighting

Photo Voltaic Array

Air Source Heat Pumps

Solar Thermal Systems

250 mm loft insulation

Cavity Wall insulation

A rated boiler

Double glazed UPVC windows

Low flush toilets

Low flow taps

Water butts

Bat box

BRE

The Victorian

Terrace

Completed in

June 2010

Test bed used

to gain

knowledge in

how best to

upgrade solid

wall housing

The transformation of a Victorian Building with

an energy performance of F into a row of

Victorian Terraces that are B rated.

Vacuum glazing

Mechanical ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR)

Flue Gas Heat Recovery (FGHR)

Sheep Wool Insulation

Aerogel Insulation

EPS, Mineral Wool, Phenolic insulations

Triple glazed composite windows

Phase change ceiling tiles

LED lighting

BRE

The Victorian

Terrace

Completed in

June 2010

Aerogel

insulation

WHAT IS AEROGEL?

Aerogel is a synthetic porous material derived from a gel, in which the liquid component of the gel has been

replaced with a gas. The result is a "solid" with very low density and thermal conductivity making it an ideal

insulation.

AEROGEL AS AN INSULATOR

Aerogels are good thermal insulators

as they have the following

characteristics:

Good conductive insulation as they

are composed almost entirely from

gas, gases are poor heat conductors.

They are comprised of a complex

lattice structure which prevent

convection.

Certain aerogels can also be good

radiative insulators, as they may be

constructed from materials that

absorb radiant heat such as carbon,

aerogels constructed from these

materials also have thermal mass

which can help to regulate internal

temperatures.

TSB

Retrofit for the

Future

Completed in

2011

Pilot

programme to

refurbish

existing

properties to the

2050 standard

In 2009 the Technology Strategy Board

made £17m UK government investment

in the first national retrofit scheme,

aimed at demonstrating how future

targets for the reduction of CO2

emissions can be met.

Eighty six social housing projects across the UK

were funded, Wates Living Space Delivered

seven

The Technology Strategy Board has

commissioned the Energy Saving Trust to

carry out data collection of the demonstrator

projects to evaluate the building performance

over a 24 month period, using a core package

of evaluation measures and a standardised

methodology for building performance

evaluation.

TSB

Retrofit for

the Future

Thermal

store pilot

Inter-

seasonal

Thermal

Store

TSB

Retrofit for

the Future

Eco retrofit

Bolton

GSHP

MVHR

PV thermal

panels

TSB

Retrofit for

the Future

Eco retrofit

Brierfield

Micro CHP

Secondary

glazing

TSB

Retrofit for

the Future

Eco retrofit

Clone

Exhaust

ASHP

Solar

thermal

TSB

Retrofit for

the Future

Wimpey no

fines

Aerogel

floor

insulation

Micro CHP

TSB

Retrofit for

the Future

Clyde road

Communal

solar thermal

system

TSB

Retrofit for

the Future

Shaftesbury

Park

Aerogel

Passive stack

heat recovery

Retrofitforthefuture.org

TSB

Retrofit for

the Future

Clyde road

External Wall Insulation to achieve "u" value of

0.11 200 mm of phenolic insulation required eaves

extension and movement of glazing line

Existing individual wet systems removed and replaced with

communal gas boiler supplemented with Solar Thermal

Original design intent was to retain existing wet

system,predicted heat load led to system being

replaced with warm air coil in MVHR, problems

experienced with controls.

The application of external wall insulation solved many thermal

bridging issues inherent in this1970's cavity wall construction.

The only remaining thermal bridge was at the ground floor, which

we partially dealt with by insulating externally below the DPC.

We installed new windows forward of the original

location in the wall and made good the internal

finishes. This helped to ensure a continuous line of

insulation with few, if any, thermal bridges.

TSB

Retrofit for the

Future

Shaftesbury

Park

Shaftesbury Park Terrace (One House)

The project was to retrofit a mid-terrace Victorian house in a

Conservation Area. The residents are to be occupation

throughout. internal insulation to most of the walls with

aerogels, with the exception of the ground floor kitchen

extension, this was externally insulated. Air permeability was

improved to 5 m3/m2/hr. The space heating provided by an

efficient gas boiler. Water heating will be delivered by a solar

thermal system with a heat pump recovering heat from an

integrated Passive Stack Ventilation system. Electricity

provided by Solar PV and demand reduced by installing

energy efficient appliances and low energy lighting.

Joists cut back to minimise thermal bridging and propped

Heating system

specified did not exist

and manufacturer had

to be sourced

Aerogel

insulation

used to

minimise

thermal

bridges and

avoid "step" in

wall

ETI

Optimising

Thermal

Efficiency of

Existing

Housing

The aim of the project has been to develop a methodology to

allow for the mass scale uptake of energy efficient

interventions across the whole UK housing stock.

Customer Research - The project process has been to firstly understand the motivations and concerns of

UK householders regarding energy use, and group them into consumer segments based upon similarities

in attitudes and circumstance.

Stock Model - A stock model has been created to identify the houses most likely to be occupied be each

consumer group.

Single Dwelling Model - With an understanding of occupancy, some behaviour / lifestyle factors and likely

construction method, the model was used to calculate a base line energy use and identify areas of highest

heat loss and energy use.

Single Dwelling Plan - With clarity of the losses, occupancy and energy profile, technical solutions have

been designed to meet both customer values and optimise energy saving.

Supply Chain Scenarios - With knowledge of the design solutions and customer motivations, a supply

chain is being developed to most efficiently meet the identified requirements

Policy Roadmap - Review the range of regulatory levers which can impact on delivering retrofit measures

on mass.

TSB

Energy Efficient

Bio Based

Insulation

Complete in

2012

Combining natural

insulation with

PCM's

The aim of the project was to develop:

1.Combine hemp insulation with phase change aerogels

2.Use bio derived binders to create complete bio product

3.Use low embodied energy fire retardants

With an increasing emphasis placed

on thermal performance it is

anticipated there will be growing

demand for insulation. We wanted to

explore what alternatives were

available which would have a lesser

impact on our environment.

Outcomes of the project:

1.The use of aerogels did not provide the anticipated improvement in performance, technology was cost

initially cost prohibitive and significantly increased the environmental impact.

2.Bio derived binders were successfully identified, however the success of the new product will be

dependent upon market demand.

3.Use low embodied energy fire retardants has led to an enhanced wool insulation product being

developed

DEFRA

Hemp lime

buildings

Complete in

2012

Experimental

hemp lime

building

Built in the grounds of the University of Bath the “HemPod”, is a

one-storey building which has highly insulating walls made from the

chopped woody core, or shiv, of the industrial hemp plant mixed

with a specially developed lime-based binder.

The hemp shiv traps air in the walls, and the hemp itself is porous,

making the walls incredibly well insulated. The lime-based binder

sticks together and protects the hemp and makes the building

material highly fire resistant.

The interior of the walls on each elevation have sensors embedded,

these allow for the measurement of temperature and humidity to assist in

understanding how the material behaves.

The construction

technique allows for high

levels of air tightness

and minimal thermal

bridging

Initial results indicate low thermal conductivity, combined with phase change effects

"A decarbonised Britain is an essential part

of our sustainable future. With

ZeroCarbonBritain CAT provides the most

detailed and efficient route to get us there.

The report clearly argues the case for

decarbonising energy and provides

solutions to do this. Across all tiers of

government, legislators and policy makers

must take CAT's findings onboard and

make the transition to a low-carbon Britain

happen faster.”

Joan Walley MP, Chair of the All Party

Parliamentary Climate Change Group

Why Wates? - Thought Leadership

The Community Green Deal report was

launched at a major conference at the

Public in West Bromwich on the 1st

December 2010. The report presents the

findings of work to develop a model for

community-scale delivery of whole house

retrofit – the ‘Community Green Deal’.

Local energy generation

ENERGY EFFICIENCY RETROFIT

LOW CARBON HEATING

CONSUMERS BUILDINGS POWER TRANSMISSION &

DISTRIBUTION

POWER GENERATION

(SUPPLY SIDE)

• Solar thermal

• Air source heat

pumps

• Ground source heat

pumps

• ESCO’s

• Biomass boiler

• Gas fired CHP

• District Heating

Schemes

• Biofuel CHP

Where to now?

Dynamic demand Skills

Thank you for listening............