energy efficiency

the big picture

Moving towards a low carbon future requires a revolution in the way that we design, heat and power our buildings.  A concerted effort from a wide number of bodies incuding local authorities, developers, builders, home owners and local communities is necessary to ensure the full efficiency of any building project.

This could mean making the most of sites which:

• are south-facing so they catch the sun
• could use windy areas nearby
• are situated over aquifers so are suitable for ground source heating, or
• are near to business and industrial development to take advantage of surplus heat created by large office and commercial developments

It also means focusing on a combination of sound construction design and insulation levels, practical heating, cooling and hot water solutions.

Key factors that influence any heating system's performance include, insulation and heat loss, hot water efficiency and U-values.  Check our Energy Efficiency section to find out more details.

energy efficiency and construction

In our business, energy efficiency is intrinsically linked with the quality of house construction, insulation and a range of common sense measures.  We've set up a separate section dealing with construction but everything is relevant here and without doubt, there will be some cross-over of themes.