According to a study by the University of Cambridge, it has been proven that insulation in residences in the UK provides short-term energy savings, but then stabilizes within a few years with increased energy consumption.
The study analyzed the gas use of more than 55,000 homes in England and Wales and found that the reduction in gas expenditures from the improved insulation became obsolete in about four years. The researchers proved that insulation reinforcement in the attic of houses was only half as effective and there was no gain after the second year. More research is needed to find this “response effect”. It is also predicted that this could result from the construction of extensions to the home, which increases a home's energy expenditure by sixteen percent. According to this study published in the journal Energy Economics, houses with added insulation in England and Wales are the first studies in which long-term effects are observed. The analyzes were based on data collected by the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change by tracking gas use in homes before and during the five years after insulation. When the age, size and weather conditions of the building were evaluated, it was revealed that the cavity wall insulation decreased by an average of seven percent in the first year. However, this strengthening was seen to disappear in four years. But the researchers also found that to actually reduce gas use and emissions, insulation retrofits must be in line with residents' energy reduction targets and exemption from energy bills for low-income households. They also argue that electric heat pumps should be installed next to the insulation to reduce carbon from residential heating, which contributes to around fourteen percent of the UK's carbon emissions.
Based on these findings, the researchers point out that in addition to insulation, electric heat pumps and additional triple-glazed windows should be added to effectively reduce gas use and emissions.
You can click on the link below to see the details of the project.
https://www.ekoyapidergisi.org/surdurulebilir-mimaride-yalitim-nasil-saglanir
