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Conservation of fuel and power There have been insulation standards for many years.

They were first introduced into the model building byelaws in 1952, although the requirements were very modest and h ave been improved in various amendments that have appeared from time to time. These changes have been brought about by a re-think of the following factors in dwellings, and the need to conserve energy. Changes in living habits houses unoccupied during the day as both husband and wife follow their own careers. Changes in methods of heating. Reduction of ventilation within the dwelling as double glazing and draughtproofi ng measures are installed and chimneys are no longer provided to each room. Condensation possibly in consequence of one or all of the previous factors. The minimum resistance to the transmission of heat which the various elements of walls, roofs and floors have to achieve are specified and this has been done by prescri bing the maximum permitted thermal coefficient (U values). There are unquestionable benefits of living in a thermally insulated building, a lthough the requirements of the 1985 Regs were regarded as inadequate. Better standards lead to further saving of fuel, or alternatively a building will be warmer for the amoun t of fuel consumed. Early regulations related to roof, walls and exposed floors, there being no conc ept of insulating the building as a whole; windows and rooflights were ignored. This emphasizes the many facets which affect thermal insulation of a building. W alls and windows are composite, and each operation can affect the thermal qualities o f the element. The thermal quality must vary greatly throughout each 24 hour period. A good example is the simple act of drawing curtains across windows; also the greater i nsulating value that thick lined curtains have compared with curtains of thin material. Also within the building the temperature will vary from room to room and the influence of ventilation through the opening of doors cannot be gauged. Gaps aro und doors and windows are also an unknown factor as the space can vary so much from what might be regarded as a good fit to a big gap. But perhaps the greatest influence on heat transfer is the direction and strengt h of the wind. As this varies, so different parts of the building may become warmer or co oler. Daytime radiation upon the external surface of a building increases the surface temperature and then come nightfall there is a cooling off. In consequence the e xternal surface temperature becomes lower than the outside ambient temperature.

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