The following shows a typical energy assessment reports showing a thermal image and a standard photo to indicate areas of heatloss.
Please feel free to get in touch for more information
ENVIROSCAN is committed to providing a professional Building Energy Assessment Service incorporating B.E.R. (Building Energy Rating) Airtightness Testing using the latest Blowerdoor technology as well as hi-tech thermal imaging and full project analysis and management for all
homeowners and one-off new-builds.
Arising from the Kyoto Protocol, the European Union has identified the reduction of greenhouse gases as a very important objective. Almost half of energy related Co2 emissions come from buildings. The EU believes this could be reduced by between 6 per cent and 22 per cent through improved energy
efficiency.
The EU published the proposed Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) in May 2001 and it was adopted by the European Parliament and Council on 16th
December 2002. It came into law on January 4th 2003. Each European member state was required to bring the directive into law by the beginning of 2006 with a further three years for full implementation of specific articles. The timeline for Ireland Building Regulations 2005 Part L Conservation of Fuel and Energy deals with two main areas.
Amended from July 2008.
Performance Certification introduced into Ireland as Building
Energy Rating (BER).
January 2007 (new dwellings) where planning Permission applied for on orafter this date. 1st July 2008 (all new buildings) where planning permission applied for on or after this date. 1st January 2009 (all existing buildings) offered for sale, rent or lease. Except a new building other than a dwelling which has applied for planning permission before 30th June 2008 which has substantial work completed by 30th June 2010.
Buildings Control Act 2007
Requires a Building Energy Rating (BER) for newly constructed buildings and for existing buildings when sold or let. Mandatory Prominent display pf B.E.R.s in existing large public service buildings (over 1000m2) during the design stage.
Penalties for non-compliance – fines not exceeding €5,000, imprisonment not exceeding three months or both.
A B.E.R. is an energy rating certificate for a building calculated using Sustainable Energy Ireland approved software which measures energy used per year (kwh/m2/yr).
This is carried out by an approved qualified assessor on completion of the building. There are two types of BER
Existing buildings do not require a Provisional cert as the building is already constructed. However a complete B.E.R. is required for a full advisory report recommending measures to improve the building’s energy performance that accompanies each report.
(1) Builders and developers selling or leasing property.
(2) Landlords, home sellers.
(3) Existing homeowners, in order to identify heat loss and save on heating bills.
An air tightness test is carried out to determine the air permeability of the structure or leakage rate through the structure, ie heat loss and draughts. An airtightness test will identify unwanted draughts and areas where heat is being lost, using the latest Blowerdoor technology; a high powered fan is fitted to an external door opening, the building is then sealed.
The technician then uses the fan to depressurise the building (suck out air) which creates a lower air pressure inside and the higher air pressure outside is then sucked in
through all the cracks and gaps. This can then be identified with the use of a smoke generator stick.
Using the latest software, the technician can determine if the building complies with new building regulations for air tightness. Also the client can visibly see problem areas. See
images below.
Using the latest thermal imaging camera the technician can identify minute temperature differnces in walls, roofs, floors and so help to identify heat loss draughts, poor or
missing insulation, problems in underfloor heating and damp.
The client is provided with a full thermal image as well as a corresponding photograph identifing areas of concern.
Energy consultancy Enviroscan offer a full tailor- made consultancy and project management service to the client advising and designing dynamic and practical solutions to achieve maximum energy performance incorparating solar energy, wind power, heat recovery systems, geothermal insulation and glazing to achieve excellent values to suit the
client.
The most important part of energy savings in any home must be insulation. The age of the property in most cases will determine the level of insulation. In recent years new homes have improved considerably, however we fall short compared to our European neighbours.
New regulations require 270mm of loft insulation for new homes where most older homes will probably only have 100mm or 4” between the joists.
However, this can be topped up using the latest Rockwood Blowing Insulation which can be sprayed into all those difficult-to-reach areas of the home using just loft roll insulation and so provides a total unbroken insulation blanket in your loft with all those positive benefits for your home and pocket.
For more information on any of the services mentioned in this article, visit the website, www.enviroscan.ie or alternatively you can call qualified assessor Kevin Fitzsimons on 087 298 5511 or 049 437 4828. You can also contact Kevin via email on info@enviroscan.ie
To find out more about the services we provide, please feel free to contact us.
