Energy performance and 'thermal efficiency'

The Traditional Housing Bureau asks how many of us actually understand the overall energy performance, or 'thermal efficiency' of the house itself.

With all the recent press regarding both the effects of climate change, and the rising energy prices in the UK, many of us now realise the importance of our homes being energy efficient.

"Most of us understand that installing double glazing and insulating our lofts can save us both energy and money", but The Traditional Housing Bureau (THB) asks, "How many of us actually understand the overall energy performance, or 'thermal efficiency' of the house itself?".

Many of us take for granted that our home is a comfortable environment, but few of us know how much is down to the thermal efficiency of our house and how much is due to the energy we are paying for.

A house works like a large storage heater with the mass of the structure determining how much heat it is able to store.

Unlike lightweight or prefabricated houses, a stone or brick built house has a high mass and is able to store heat throughout the day from both natural sources like the sun, and manufactured sources such as heating appliances and lighting.

As the temperature falls the heat previously absorbed is released slowly back into the house, helping to maintain a pleasant temperature, saving you energy, and more importantly money! But, it's not just in the winter-time your masonry house helps you stay comfortable.

One of the effects of climate change has been that summers in the UK have been getting warmer over recent years, with most of us suffering the kind of hot and humid evenings we previously associated with the Mediterranean region.

THB explain, "On hot days the bricks and blocks of a masonry house absorb rather than conduct the heat, helping to keep you cool, reducing the need for air-conditioning and again keeping those energy bills down.".

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