As and from July 1 st 2008 new building regulations (S.I No. 854 of 2007) came into effect concerning energy conservation and fuel efficiency in buildings. If you are applying for planning permission you will need to ensure that as well as meeting current building regulations (Part L) your plans also meet the following provision:- - A reasonable proportion of the energy consumption to meet the energy performance of a dwelling is provided by renewable energy sources;
Technical guidance (TGDL 2007) currently defines a reasonable proportion as 10KwHr / m 2 . Taking a 200m 2 dwelling as an example, under the new regulations you would be required to have a renewable energy source producing a minimum of 2,000 KwHrs per year. A typical solar collector produces 530KwHrs per m 2 per year so in the above case specifying a solar hot water system with 4m 2 collector area would meet the requirement. If you don’t plan to install a solar hot water system initially but think it’s something you may upgrade to at a later stage it’s a very good idea to install a hot water cylinder at new build stage. The difference in price between a single and dual coil cylinder becomes insignificant when compared to the cost of taking out a cylinder only a few years old and replacing it with a suitable one. We are always happy to supply a suitable cylinder even if the remainder of the project is left on hold for a while. It’s also worth considering the implications of solar water heating in your choice of new appliances. If you think you will install a solar it’s probably worth selecting a dish washer and washing machine that can take a hot and cold fill. Likewise, there’s probably very little point in fitting electrically heated showers and a good option to consider is a pumped electric shower or to pressurize the domestic water system. In this way your appliances will make the most of free hot water when available. Underfloor Heating: In a new build situation it’s a very good idea to consider under floor as the cost of retro fitting is usually prohibitive. The advantages of under floor are many and include lower running costs, increased thermal comfort and greater flexibility in the positioning of fixtures & fittings. There are some considerations to bear in mind such as floor construction and proposed finishes and as the system is best suited to concrete floors a good option is often to use a radiator circuit for a first floor with under floor for the ground slab. Under floor will not work as well with timber floors or where there are very heavy carpets and underlays but with some thought beforehand it’s usually possible to implement a solution that will provide significant energy savings and increased comfort over the lifespan of the building. The reason under floor is more efficient can be explained by the following. In a traditional radiator circuit a small heat emitter (radiator) is heated to a relatively high temperature (usually 65 degrees C – 80 degrees C) to produce a given heat energy. In the case of under floor, a large emitter (the entire floor area of the building) is warmed to a lower temperature (35 degrees – 45 degrees) and at this range heat losses are minimized. An additional benefit is the heat storage capacity of the concrete slab. Using under floor it’s relatively easy to design a system using a heat pump operating only on night tariff electricity (50% less than standard rate). The slab will charge during night rate hours (12 midnight – 8am Winter, 11 pm – 7am Summer) and release heat during the day. Even if you opt not to go the heat pump route initially fitting under floor will future proof the building and a well designed system employing a condensing boiler will still offer significant savings over radiator systems. | It's often easier to buy something than do something. Turn it off when it's not needed! 
Under floor heating is efficient and works well but why not build a Pasive House? If aspect, insulation, airtightness and glazing are correct you won't need a conventional heating system! 
|
