End-user benefits of accurate heat loss measurements

With the most recent energy price cap increase, the cost of heating our homes continues to increase at a rapid pace, and with 20% of all energy use in the UK being used for heating homes, this makes it the single biggest user of energy. It’s a big cost to residents and a big contributor to the country’s carbon emissions.

The problem is that homes have been shown to routinely perform worse than expected, and often by a significant amount (an average of 60% underperformance in the largest study undertaken). We need measurement of thermal performance to understand how to more efficiently heat our homes and to design methods and policies to improve their performance. This is where SmartHTC can help you to help your customers!

Up to now, the only tests to measure the thermal performance of dwellings have required that the building be vacated for long durations which is impractical for the people that live there. SmartHTC uses energy data from utility meters and measurements of internal temperature collected while the residents are in the house, and analyses this to measure what we term the ‘Heat Transfer Coefficient’ or HTC. This is a measure of how effectively a building retains heat irrespective of variables such as weather and occupancy.. Our testing has shown that results from SmartHTC are comparable with the industry-established tests, but much less invasive and considerably less expensive to deliver.

By gaining this accurate knowledge of thermal performance, you can deliver real added value to your customers. Opportunities to provide services such as:

• Better, tailored, advice on investment in energy efficiency measures, replacement heating systems or whether to prioritise renewables, storage or heating controls.
• Quality assurance on retrofit works and new build homes, including tracking of performance over time.
• Satisfying project requirements, such as PAS2025 Evaluation, BS 40101:2022, SHDF, ECO and others.

So what are the benefits to your customers? As a surveyor or heating engineer you already know that measuring the true performance of buildings is a valuable step toward improving energy efficiency, reducing costs, and enhancing comfort. Here's why it matters to your customer base, in plain layman's terms:

1. Identify Energy Loss Precisely measure how much heat escapes through walls, windows, roofs, and floors. Measuring it allows you to pinpoint areas where heat is being lost or gained. Understanding this helps you identify the most inefficient parts of a building, such as poorly insulated walls or drafty windows.
2. Lower Energy Bills Homes with higher U-values tend to lose more heat in winter and gain more in summer, leading to increased use of heating and air conditioning systems. By measuring the heat transfer coefficient, you can take targeted actions to reduce energy loss, leading to lower energy consumption and reduced utility bills.
3. Improve Home Comfort A house with high heat transfer coefficients can have uneven temperatures, drafts, and cold spots. Measuring the U-values can help you improve insulation or upgrade windows and doors, leading to a more stable and comfortable indoor environment.
4. Increase Property Value Energy-efficient homes are more attractive to buyers and renters. A home with well-insulated elements, energy-efficient windows, and low U-values can command a higher resale price. Such measures will always be reflected in an improved EPC rating and buyers will see this as a sign of reduced future energy costs, making your home more appealing.
5. Environmental Impact By identifying areas where your home is losing energy, you can make improvements that reduce the amount of energy required for heating and cooling. This lowers your carbon footprint, contributing to a more sustainable and eco-friendly home.
6. Make Informed Renovation Choices Whether you're installing new insulation, replacing windows, or upgrading your heating or ventilation system, understanding the heat transfer coefficient will guide you in making better renovation decisions. You can prioritise improvements where they will have the biggest impact on energy savings.
7. Right First Time Not only does a measured heat transfer coefficient help to directly inform how best to prioritise investments, the measured value can also be expressed as ‘peak heat demand’. This measured peak heat demand value can be used to directly inform the sizing of a heating system, including heat pumps. Sizing a system correctly from the off saves costs and avoids any nasty surprises that might otherwise only crop up months down the line.
8. Compliance with Building Regulations In many regions, building codes and regulations require homes to meet certain energy efficiency standards, often measured by U-values. Knowing the overall heat transfer coefficient can help ensure that a project has delivered upon the intended specification with no unexpected performance gaps.
9. Long-Term Savings While upgrading insulation or windows involves an upfront cost, measuring the heat transfer coefficient helps you focus on the most effective improvements. Over time, the energy savings and reduced heating/cooling demand will pay off these investments, providing long-term financial benefits.

By measuring the heat transfer coefficient in your customer’s homes, you can enable them to gain a clear understanding of how energy-efficient their homes are, and where improvements can be made.

Needless to say – this is where you come in!

All the early adopters and test homes we have worked with agreed that they would not only be happy to pay for something in the region of £200 for a service to accurately measure how to improve their homes, but 100% of them also said they would recommend bringing a SmartHTC professional into their homes to a friend, thanks to how unobtrusive the process is and how helpful the results which are driven from it are.

Surely, delivering a more sustainable, cost-effective, and comfortable living environment for all is the ultimate end result, helping to close the performance gap and also making great strides forwards toward eradicating fuel poverty.