Let’s talk EPC 2.

EcoPropi Ltd. Blog 12/02/201614/03/2016Building refurbishment, House extension, Infra Heating, kill the mould, Loft insulation, mould removal, sprayed foam insulation 8 Comments

EPC rating

In the first part of the article we tried to provide a general overview about Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). Today we are going to explain what different ratings mean, and how they affect our everyday life.

To demonstrate these effects, we chose a home with the most common EPC rating on the British market. The diagram below belongs to such a house.

The EPC rating is 68 (level D). Most homes in the UK have a rating between 55 and 75, so we can say this example represents an average UK home. Now is this value good or not? I know I said this was an average value, so I might shock a few readers now when I say this value is very low. To tell you the truth only 2% of the British homes have a level B or higher rating.

Having today’s technologies and materials at our disposal it seems to me that this value is just not good enough. Although the climate varies on a large scale throughout Europe (think about the Mediterranean, Greece, Spain, Portugal and the northern countries such as Norway or Sweden) they manage to have a better overall rating in domestic EPC rating than the UK, regardless of their climate. This is because of the physical features of the buildings, the materials and technologies used, therefore the operations of the buildings are much more economical there (average EPC rating in Europe 75-80, in Germany this value is 85). Sadly the UK is significantly behind these countries in terms of domestic energy consumption.

The importance of thermal insulation started to become a factor in Europe since the ‘70s, whereas in the UK, energy efficient building technologies have only just started to be of high demand.

This results in quite significant arrears. We can still catch up to the leading European countries (in terms of high EPC rating domestic buildings), but we have to consciously design the new buildings and also plan the refurbishment projects.

The meaning of EPC rating 68:

cold, draughty floor
damp house
mould occurrence in corners, around windows, behind cupboards or in the bathroom – unhealthy environment
the changes in the outer temperature is perceptible inside the house even next to constant heating
high energy bills, high pollution emission

These conditions can easily be improved by professional diagnostics and the usage of modern building materials. Upgrading the windows to double-glazed or triple-glazed will not be sufficient on its own (it is a start nonetheless). To upgrade your house’s EPC rating to level “B” is easily achievable if you plan your next refurbishment project thoroughly and energy consciously – and it does not have to cost more!

How is this possible? What are the costs and how quickly will such an investment show financial return? We will elaborate these in our next article.

As usual, please feel free to share your comments, own experiences or relevant stories you may have.

To be continued…

(Quote the following code in your enquiry and we grant you a 10% discount of the price of your next project! NLTE2)

Let’s talk EPC 1.

EcoPropi Ltd. Blog 09/02/201617/03/2016Building Extensions, Building refurbishment, Infra Heating, Loft insulation, mould removal, sprayed foam insulation 11 Comments

What does EPC mean?

In this article we will try to help you understand what EPC means furthermore what it means in regards to your property. It is the mandatory document that goes with every property sale; EPC stands for Energy Performance Certificate.

It basically shows you how economical a building is. But what does it tell you exactly?

It is a classification that is based on a pre-determined scale (A – G, “A” being the most economical category). The categories are determined by direct measurable factors and indirect calculations.

The two most important factors are:

The measure of energy required to maintain a certain temperature inside the building
The thermal storage capacity of the building (calculated from its physical features)

These two factors are absolutely independent from one another. We can maintain 20°C in a room by either

Little usage of the heating system, but in a building with excellent thermal storage capacity
Or with massive energy consumption (constant heating) in a poorly insulated building

In both cases we would be sitting in a 20°C – room; so the result would be the same, yet what a difference in the energy consumption.

But the biggest difference is this: Let’s assume we turn down the heating in the living room for the night. In the first case (well-insulated room, excellent thermal storage capacity, high EPC ranking), not only, will the air remain a pleasant 20°C in the morning, but also all the solid objects (floor, walls, furniture, etc.) will not get cold. Whereas in the second case (poor insulation, poor thermal storage capacity, poor EPC ranking), we will definitely need a sweater till we have our first tea in the morning.

We are yet to highlight all the financial benefits that you can enjoy by having an economical home, with high EPC ranking. You can read about the costs of such an investment and the break-even time in our next article. Also we will explain the meaning of the different categories, e.g. what it means to have a home that is classed “D” in its Energy Performance Certificate.

In the meantime browse through our website for more interesting articles about insulation and heating technology, or contact us with any questions you may have.

To be continued…

(Quote the following code in your enquiry and we grant you a 10% discount of the price of your next project! NLTE1)

Advantages of steel frame building structure

EcoPropi Ltd. Blog 04/02/201617/03/2016Bricklayer Jobs, Building Extensions, Building refurbishment, Concrete Blocks, sprayed foam insulation 4 Comments

Lightweight steel frame structure building system

When customers plan to build a new house, or extend their existing one, our focus is always on satisfying their requirements. We examine their ideas of the number and the sizes of the rooms and their practicality. After thorough discussions, having learnt as much as possible about their needs, we recommend the most suitable materials. Choosing the right structural system is one of the most technical and most vital part of designing a house, therefore taking a professional’s guidance on this topic is indispensable. It is the engineer’s responsibility to make sure that the recommended technology suits your needs the best. Here are some of the numerous advantages of lightweight steel frame structure over the traditional brick or timber structure.

Easy planning, excellent dimensional accuracy
Allows to implement bespoke designs
Pre-fabricated and pre-cut elements – fast and accurate feasibility
Standard and customised profile sizes and shapes
Uniform material quality
Lightweight structure, cheaper delivery
Slimmer elements, slimmer walls, bigger net space
Better sound and temperature insulation quality
Straight walls, perfect right angle corners, covered pipes
Ideal building structure to use with our spray foam insulation system
Results in EPC level B, A or A+ with warranty

(Quote the following code in your enquiry and we grant you a 10% discount of the price of your next project! NSFBS)

New generation of condensing boilers

EcoPropi Ltd. Blog 17/12/201514/03/2016Flooring, Heat Pump, Infra Heating, Surface Heating System 2 Comments

Condensing boilers by WOLF

The most commonly used appliance in building technology, due to its widely-known efficiency and reliability.

Another advantage of using a condensing boiler is its low installation cost. Many professionals have the misconception that condensing boilers do not go well with radiators. Well, the newest heating regulations have taken into consideration systems with changing temperatures. Read more

About heat recovery ventilation system

EcoPropi Ltd. Blog 14/12/201514/03/2016air cooling system, Surface Heating System 3 Comments

About heat recovery ventilation system

This modern-technology appliance should be a vital part of every well-insulated household. Unfortunately it is yet to be widely used and for that the main reason is that it is simply not well-known, and the installation costs are considered fairly high.

Because we breathe out carbon-dioxide and water vapour, which will not leave our environment through the almost air-tight windows and doors without ventilation, we are creating poor quality air around us. We can improve the quality of air inside our apartment by frequent airing, however this can cause huge heat loss during winter time. Read more

Technologies

EcoPropi Ltd. Technology 02/12/201514/03/2016Building refurbishment, Heat Pump, House extension, Injection, kill the mould, Loft insulation, mould, mould removal, rafter, Spray, Sprayed Foam, sprayed foam insulation, Surface Heating System 6 Comments

Overview of EcoPropi’s various technologies

Introduction, brief description:

Do you have mould/mildew in your home? Did you try to get rid of it, but it just keeps coming back shortly after the treatment?
Are your walls and floor constantly cold, making your home cold as well, even though the heating is on?
Do wet staines appear on your walls? Plaster falling?
Would you like to eliminate the hazards mentioned above, and at the same time, save on your energy bills, and improve your property’s value?

We offer complete planning and energy surveying buildings, assembling and upgrading insulation systems. We eliminate moisture penetration, thermal bridges and mould with the use of injection, spray foam insulation, etc.

We will increase the efficiency of the thermal insulation and build renewable energy systems as well, and as a result we will be able to reduce your energy bills and improve the comfort levelof your home.

Efficient technologies customized to clients’ needs:

Initial assessment of customer needs, full inspection of the property (heating and ventilation systems, structure, doors, windows, etc.) energy survey. Calculating energy consumption after renovation and preparing quotation for reconstruction.
Removing existing mould by treating the affected areas.
In the absence of waterproofed walls we carry out emulsion – injection in order to prevent water and soil vapor penetrating the structure.
Applying closed-cell foams on walls, joists and even on the existing thermal insulation and waterproofing the roof.
In some cases the conventional techniques can also be used effectively: bitumen felt, polystyrene board insulation.
Upgrading heating systems by installing condensing boilers, heat recovery ventilation, heat pumps and internal surface heating.

Our activities in details:

Needs assessment, energy survey, quotation:

Your living conditions and the value of your property could significantly be improved by investing in renewable energy. Whether you are selling your property, have just purchased one, or it is time to renovate it, it is worth considering a long-term profitable investment. Increasing the value in a way that you could feel every day. Getting rid of mould and the uncomfortable feeling of cold walls, unwarmed, draughty rooms and bad atmosphere… own a pleasant home!

In case of advanced insulation we provide energy survey if requested, hence changes become evident. You will be able to see the difference in the energy classification of your property, the value increases and your heating costs will decrease.

We provide a written quotation both for minor and complex insulation works.We use thermal imaging before and after renovation.If you are not satisfied with the appearance of your property (i.e: obsolete bricks, plaster) full facade insulation is recommended before renovation. We execute thermal insulation with state of the art foaming systems and reconstruct your property by faux brick wall panels.

Injection:

We eliminate moisture problems which are highly responsible for mould growth. The film, emulsion formed after injection prevents the moisture absorption into the brick walls.

The role of modern doors and windows:

If the walls are already well insulated and the heating system warms up the house, we should not let the heat escape through doors and windows. Often the weakest link is the window. They have an important role in building energetics.

Anti-mould paintings/coatings:

In many cases we see mould retardant paints, primers that promise us they eridicate mould forever. However, these are only temporary solutions. As a first step we eliminate the conditions of mould growth such as moisture, humidity, cold surfaces where moisture condenses and initiates mould growth. With our previously listed equipments we eliminate moisture penetration, cold surfaces and ventilate vapour. We use surface treatment (e.g: mould remover, special paint in order to kill the remaining mould) only after these actions, as the substances used to treat the surfaces will not achieve the same long-lasting result as injection and spray foam insulation.

Roof insulations

slab insulation

rafters insulations

additional rafter insulation

Wall and slab insulations:

(Quote the following code in your enquiry and we grant you a 10% discount of the price of your next project! NTECH)

Services

EcoPropi Ltd. Service 02/12/201514/04/2016Bath, Bricklayer Jobs, Building Extensions, Concrete Blocks, Decorations, Drive, Electrical and Drinage Service, Extensions, Facade Ren, Flat Refurbishment, Flooring, Garage, Heat Pump, Infra Heating, Loft Conversions, Loft insulation, New Roofing and Repairs, Painting, Paving, Pergolas, Plasterboard, Plastering, Plumbing, Stone works, Tilling 2 Comments

How EcoPropi can help you

From designing a house to the last finishing touches, EcoPropi Ltd. will have the solution for all your needs. We offer some of the newest construction technologies, engineering solutions that are yet to become widely known or common.

Let it be a minor modification or a major refurbishment project, we will plan and prepare it, supply the materials, and complete the work with the utmost care, making sure that you will be happy with the result. In order to make the refurbishment work last and make the house economical, we will have to be prepared to deal with unexpected issues as well right from the start of the refurbishment (additional insulation, waterproofing, engineering and electrical works).

3D Design

Family semi-detached house - services 3D design

We will plan the stairs, footways, terraces, pergolas, flower stand, pavement, etc. We also put the garden furniture on the realistic 3D plans and consult with you regarding the colours. We will plan the connection between the exterior and interior, the layout of the new bathroom, tiling, etc.

Extensions and refurbishments – Refurbishment and bathroom design – Internal and external renovation

Internal renovation

We always aim to offer the most comprehensive package that meets your requirements. Not only will we do the necessary demolition, plastering / rendering jobs, but we will accomplish every bespoke design ideas you might have. Let it be bespoke suspended ceilings, custom lighting, glass-brick partition / wall, built-in fire-place, or a one-of-a kind bathroom, we will achieve to please you.

Tiling – Decorations – Painting – Plasterboard – Bathroom Fitting – Kitchen Fitting – Flat Refurbishment – Loft Conversions – Building Extensions – Plastering – Flooring – Plumbing

External renovation

house extension board insulation services

External renovation services are generally start with the renovation of forefront/facada. Once the scaffolding is removed we change the water pipes , build the patio or pergola as per the customer’s requirement. We put down the kerbstones/border stones and the paving. We build the fences and fit the outdoor lights with motion sensors. If you would like to know more about our building refurbishment services click here.

Extensions – Paving – Driveways – Bricklayer Jobs – Stone works – Concrete Blocks – Garage – New Roofing and Repairs – Electrical and Drainage Service – Pergolas – Facade Ren

Special works

prepared screed for floor heating - stage 1.

floor heating system preparation - stage 3.

In order to build high-standard buildings and to keep up with the ever-developing technologies used in our field, we only trade with the best suppliers, use the latest machinery. See them for yourself on our “Technologies” site. For further, more detailed information call us and we will be happy to arrange a meeting with you at your earliest convenience.

(Quote the following code in your enquiry and we grant you a 10% discount of the price of your next project! NSERV)

Infra Heating – Heat Pump – Injection – Ventilation System – Anti Mould Painting – Spray Foam Insulation – Surface Heating System