Materials INSULATION
Insulation to future proof properties? Suria Ramnarain, Sales Development Manager at Knauf Insulation [www.knaufinsulation.co.za ], argues the case for the use of mineral wool insulation. Knauf
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nsulation has long been a key part of the sustainability strategy for buildings in Europe; but has not been widely adopted in warmer climates such as South Africa. This changed with the introduction of regulatory requirements such as SANS 10400 XA and SANS 1544:2014. The update to SANS 10400 XA sets out the R-value for construction elements of new buildings and extensions designed for human occupancy depending on a building’s use and location. An R-value is a measure of thermal performance based on how a material or buildup resists heat transfer. The R-value set for five of South Africa’s seven zones will require properties to be built with a minimum 50mm cavity (an air gap) for concrete and external masonry walls. The greatest proportion of energy loss from heating or cooling a property without insulation takes place through its roof and external walls. While use of insulation in a property’s roof is fairly well established in South Africa, adding it to its walls is less common. According to research by the Clay Brick Association and the University of Pretoria, simply adding a cavity to a property reduces energy consumption by 30%. Installing insulation into that cavity reduces it by 70%.
Installing mineral wool insulation prevents energy loss and improves sustainability.
But insulation isn’t only reserved for use in masonry cavity walls, it can also be used for other build-ups such as metal or timber frame walls, to improve the energy efficiency of a property.
Energy Performance Certificates will soon be used for domestic properties
Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), (in line with SANS 1544:2014) are designed to provide owners and tenants with information about how energy-efficient a building is. This gives an indication of how costly a building will be to cool, heat and light before occupation. It is displayed in a similar format to ratings for domestic appliances, with A being the most energy-efficient and G the least. It is expected that once EPCs are adopted for commercial premises, they will be rolled out to domestic properties. Research by the University of Cambridge found that UK dwellings with the highest EPC bands A and B sold for 14% more than those with a G rating. This demonstrates that designing and constructing buildings to secure good EPC ratings pays dividends. Insulation plays an important role in securing a good EPC rating by preventing heat flow from warm areas to volume 10 | issue 1 www.tobuild.co.za
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