Energy Efficiency, Airtightness & The Environment Archives - Page 6 of 8

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in Advice, Energy Efficiency, Airtightness & The Environment, Extension/Renovation Advice, Insulation and airtightness: Watchpoints, On site, Pre design

Should I upgrade my home insulation?

An insulation upgrade is the single best way to make your home consume less energy, before you even consider upgrading your heating system or replacing the windows. Here’s how to approach your home insulation upgrade in Ireland. In this article we cover: The first step to your home energy upgrade is to evaluate what state your […] More

by Astrid Madsen October 18, 2021, 1:21 pm
in Advice, Energy Efficiency, Airtightness & The Environment, Extension/Renovation Advice, Pre design

Energy strategies that lower your bills

If you’re building new, you will want a energy strategies that deliver on low energy bills and a healthy indoor environment. In this article we cover: Your energy strategy in a new build will at the minimum, have to meet the building regulations. The regulations in ROI are stricter than in NI. Basic regs The […] More

by Astrid Madsen October 4, 2021, 9:29 am
in Advice, Energy Efficiency, Airtightness & The Environment, Insulation and airtightness: Watchpoints, On site, Pre design

Airtightness systems and testing

According to the UK Building Research Establishment, a house built to be reasonably airtight and to the current ROI building regulations (5 cubic meters/h/sqm at 50Pa) consumes 40 per cent less energy than a house built to the old building regulation standard of 10 cubic meters/h/sqm. You’ve been told many times about the need to […] More

by Astrid Madsen September 27, 2021, 2:35 pm
in Advice, Energy Efficiency, Airtightness & The Environment, Extension/Renovation Advice, Insulation and airtightness: Watchpoints, On site, Pre design

Insulation types

There are many different types of insulation, from highly efficient plastic based products to natural alternatives. Here are your options in Ireland. In this article we cover: Rolls or batts? The most common types of insulation can be categorised as being in rigid or roll form. The rigid forms tend to be boards used for […] More

by Astrid Madsen September 27, 2021, 1:20 pm
in Advice, Energy Efficiency, Airtightness & The Environment, Extension/Renovation Advice, Insulation and airtightness: Watchpoints, On site, Pre design

Basic concepts to understand insulation and airtightness

What insulation and airtightness are, how they’re used in a new build and what’s involved in your energy assessment. In this article, we cover: What’s the difference between an NZEB and a passive house? The terms passive house and Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB) both refer to designing buildings that require very little energy […] More

by Astrid Madsen September 20, 2021, 11:31 am
in Advice, Energy Efficiency, Airtightness & The Environment, Extension/Renovation Advice, Insulation and airtightness: Watchpoints

Quick guide to energy efficient homes

An energy efficient home is built to be well insulated, airtight and ideally, environmentally friendly. Here’s what you need to know if building in Ireland today. In this article we cover: Your airtightness and insulation strategy will depend on how you build your house, what your overall aim is for energy efficiency, and how you plan […] More

by Patrick Waterfield September 13, 2021, 1:24 pm
in Budget & Financing, Energy Efficiency, Airtightness & The Environment, News, Pre design

More people eligible for grants in NI

The Affordable Warmth grant, which funds energy upgrades in the homes of low income earners, has widened its eligibility criteria. In this article we cover: The income threshold for the Affordable Warmth grants has been increased from £20k to £23k. Some benefits will no longer be included in the calculation of income, including disability living […] More

by Astrid Madsen September 1, 2021, 12:47 pm
in Budget & Financing, Energy Efficiency, Airtightness & The Environment, News, Pre design

Woodlands Grants

If you are self-building in a remote location, and own a large site, a well-managed woodland could be a sustainable solution to all of your fuel needs. Good news comes in the form of the NI Woodland Grant Schemes, which opened in June. To qualify you will need to plant 0.2 hectare (about half an […] More

by Astrid Madsen August 30, 2021, 12:53 pm
in Building methods, Cost savers, Design, Energy Efficiency, Airtightness & The Environment, Heating systems, Insulation and airtightness: Watchpoints, On site, Podcast, Pre design, Renewables & Sustainability, SB+ Podcasts, Ventilation and heating systems: Watchpoints

Ep 41 – Passive House design with PV Panels

Episode 41 – Rodger O’Connor explains how he designed his home to be super energy efficient, including his insulation and airtightness strategy, choice of heating systems, photovoltaic panels and how he managed the build. Read the full article and see the images here. Favourite More

by Astrid Madsen August 24, 2021, 8:35 am
in Building methods, Energy Efficiency, Airtightness & The Environment, Pre design, SB+ TV, Sponsored Content

Meet a self-builder in NI who has built his house from ICF Ballantine Building Solutions

Meet a self-builder in NI who’s built his house from IntegraSPEC insulating concrete formwork (ICF) and who outlines the benefits of this building method, with visuals of the house under construction. Favourite More

by Selfbuild Live June 21, 2021, 8:37 am
in Direct labour tasks, Direct labour vs main contractor, Energy Efficiency, Airtightness & The Environment, Insurance and warranty cover, News

Self-build dreams shattered due to lack of insurance

DIY self-builders who plan to build with anything but blockwork are struggling to get insurance. Síofra Ní Chonluain and Mark McHugh’s decision to self-build was in large part driven by their desire to build themselves an affordable, eco friendly home. “We chose a factory made timber frame system that is exceptionally energy efficient, made by Scandinavian […] More

by Astrid Madsen May 16, 2021, 3:30 pm
in Budget & Financing, Choosing windows and doors, Cost savers, Design, Energy Efficiency, Airtightness & The Environment, Heating systems, Podcast, Pre design, Provisions for on-site electricity, water, SB+ Podcasts

Ep 36 – Budget friendly renovation in Kerry

Episode 36 – Mark Coleman explains how he renovated a tired old bungalow into a stylish family home. His choices were guided by the budget and achieving an affordable home to heat. He chats about:-Wall and roof insulation, and why he didn’t need external wall insulation.-Why he chose an LPG boiler based on payback times.-Turning […] More

by Selfbuild Live May 3, 2021, 4:21 pm