Low Energy House - Eco-Houses - Zero Carbon Buildings
A Low Energy House will provide thermal comfort, healthy living, lower heating costs and a high degree of user satisfaction
Low Energy House Website
The Low Energy House Website provides an introduction to the principles of low energy house design and thermal insulation in new-build houses, self-build houses and house renovation. It also showcases the increasing array of exciting Renewable Energy Technologies that help reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
A Low Energy House used to be defined as a house whose energy consumption was at a level below that demanded by current building standards. The Code for Sustainable Homes and Building Regulations are now demanding much more stringent standards of energy efficiency for all new-build houses in England; making them all Low Energy Houses.
Low Energy House Design:
- Passive Solar Design in a Low Energy House is based on two completely non-technical principles of ‘letting the sun come in’ and then ‘not letting it out again'.
- SuperInsulation is where insulation, with high thermal value, is built into the external envelope to significantly reduce the transfer of heat through the walls, roof and ground floor of a Low Energy House.
- Airtightness - The building envelope of a Low Energy House must be made airtight by careful and robust detailing in order to keep the heat loss to a minimum and to maintain a comfortable air temperature.
- Mechanical Heat Recovery Ventilation must be provided in a well insulated house because a conventional extraction system will transfer the heat from inside to outside the house and the incoming ventilation air may be cold.
- Triple Glazed Windows - To meet the requirements of Low Energy House standards, high performance windows with exceptionally high thermal values must be fitted.
- Intrinsic Heating - A Low Energy House is designed to be heated predominantly from intrinsic heat sources like solar heat gain as well as heat from the occupants, electric lighting and domestic appliances.
Renewable Energy Technology
Renewable Energy is energy that occurs naturally and repeatedly in the environment. This can be energy from the water, wind, sun or geothermal heat from the ground. Renewable Energy can also be produced from biomass, plant sources, such as wood or crops grown specifically as a fuel.
Renewable Energy Technologies - Electricity Generation
Where appropriate, Solar PV Panels, Solar Roof Tiles and Wind Turbine Systems, can be used for Low Energy Houses.
Renewable Energy Technologies - Water and Space Heating
Ground Source Heat Pumps produce heat from under the ground that can be used in hot water central heating systems. Solar Heating Collectors can provide hot water from the sun's rays to feed Domestic Hot Water Systems. Biomass Wood Burners can burn wood to provide space heating and hot water.
Government funded grants are available for several Energy Saving Measures such as loft and cavity wall insulation, as well as most of the Renewable Energy Technologies described
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