Real estate
Article 11 of 16 · Buildings and real estateInsulation: cavity, roof, floor and glazing: a guide for businesses
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Insulation is the addition of material that limits heat loss through a building's envelope: walls, roof, floor and windows. The four main routes are cavity wall insulation, roof insulation, floor insulation and insulating glass such as HR++ or triple glazing. Insulating first reduces a building's heat demand and makes the step to a heat pump or other sustainable heating much smaller.
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Insulation: cavity, roof, floor and glazing: scattered information versus Energy Intelligence
Heating is the largest energy item in most Dutch buildings. A poorly insulated property literally heats the outside air: the boiler runs all day while the warmth escapes through the roof, walls, floor and single glazing. For owners and managers of real estate, insulating is therefore usually the first step in making a building more sustainable. For businesses with high energy consumption it can also fall under the Dutch statutory energy saving obligation. Below are the four main routes, with the order of work and the points to watch.
- Cavity wall insulation is often the fastest route: insulation material is injected into the air cavity, provided the building has a suitable cavity. Dutch buildings from before 1920 often do not.
- Roof insulation has a large effect because warm air rises; floor insulation mainly adds comfort and keeps moisture and cold air out of the crawl space.
- Insulating makes a building more airtight: arrange good ventilation at the same time, otherwise moisture and mould problems arise.
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What are the four main routes of building insulation?
Cavity wall insulation fills the air cavity between the inner and outer wall with insulation material. It is relatively quick to carry out, but requires a suitable cavity; many Dutch buildings from before 1920 have single-brick walls without a cavity. Those can still be insulated, but with interior wall linings or insulation against the outside facade. Roof insulation can be applied on the inside or the outside and has a large effect, because warm air rises and escapes through an uninsulated roof. Floor insulation is usually installed from the crawl space, against the underside of the floor or on the ground. It mainly improves comfort and keeps out moisture and cold air. Insulating glass, such as HR++ or triple glazing, replaces single or outdated double glazing; triple glazing is thicker and heavier, so new window frames are often needed as well.
- Cavity wall insulation: quick to carry out, only with a suitable cavity.
- Roof insulation: large effect, on the inside or outside of the roof.
- Floor insulation: comfort gains and less moisture from the crawl space.
- Insulating glass: HR++ or triple glazing, with triple often including new frames.
Why is insulation the basis of sustainable buildings?
Every measure you take afterwards becomes smaller and simpler thanks to insulation. A well-insulated building needs less capacity to stay warm. The heating installation can therefore be sized smaller, and a heat pump or low-temperature heating only works well once heat loss is limited. Reversing the order and installing a heat pump first in a poorly insulated property produces a system that has to work hard and performs badly. For businesses in the Netherlands, the energy saving obligation also applies: anyone consuming more than 50,000 kilowatt hours of electricity or 25,000 cubic metres of natural gas equivalent per year must implement energy saving measures with a payback period of five years or less. Insulation measures appear on the Dutch Recognised Measures List (EML) used for this obligation. For homes, a subsidy for insulation is currently available through the Dutch ISDE scheme run by RVO.
- Lower heat demand means a smaller heating installation.
- A heat pump or low-temperature heating first requires a well-insulated envelope.
- Large consumers fall under the Dutch energy saving obligation with the Recognised Measures List (EML).
- For homes, the ISDE subsidy currently applies to insulation measures.
What should you watch out for when insulating?
Start with ventilation. Insulating makes a building more airtight, so moisture and stale air escape less easily. Without good ventilation, condensation, mould and an unhealthy indoor climate follow. Also check for protected species: bats sometimes roost in cavity walls and under roofs, and they are legally protected in the Netherlands. Have this investigated beforehand and choose nature-friendly insulation methods where needed. For listed buildings and protected town and village views, restrictions apply; insulation on the outside facade or different glazing is not always permitted there and often requires a permit. Finally, know the limits: insulation reduces heat loss, but the quality of the work determines the result. Thermal bridges, gaps, a damp cavity or the wrong material can significantly reduce the effect. A preliminary survey by a specialised company prevents these problems.
- Get ventilation in order first: a more airtight building needs fresh air.
- Investigate protected species such as bats before cavity wall and roof insulation.
- Listed buildings and protected views involve restrictions and permit requirements.
- The quality of the installation determines the final effect.
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