2.1.7 Adding or increasing external insulation in floors
Description
This measure consists in adding a layer of thermal insulation to floors with the goal of reducing the thermal transmittance. This measure is of interest for 1 or 2-storey buildings for enclosures that are in contact with permanent occupied spaces.
Benefits
Provide thermal mass, particularly useful in southward facing rooms and it helps to maintain steady temperatures
Thickness of insulation is less restricted than for an above-slab condition
Avoid lack of comfort due to “cold radiation” and risk of superficial condensation caused by low surface temperature of the floor
Using closed pore insulation, the thermal performance will not be lost even if the insulation is wet
Limitations
Rooms are slower to heat in comparison with an above-slab condition
The external thermal insulation can be made only when there is a space with sufficient height to work with comfort to install the insulation system
Economic assessment
Initial investment: between 8 and 11 €/m2
References and best practices
- Insulating raised floors in hot, humid climates:
www.lsuagcenter.com/NR/rdonlyres/D33F711D-DC4B-4E4C-9ED6-A97DCE9DB026/79805/pub3187insulatingraisedfloorsLOWRES.pdf - Thermal insulation of floors:
www.designforhomes.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/ThermalInsulation.pdf
Image gallery
CHARACTERIZATION
Environment or playable world:
Residential
Academic
Offices
All
Carried out by:
Public building users
Owners
Operators
All
Reduce consumption of:
Heating
Cooling
DHW
Lighting
Electric devices
Type of driver:
Physical environmental
Contextual
Psychological
Physiological
Social
Time framework:
- Short term
- Long term
Type of measure:
- Envelope
- HVAC
- DHW
- Lighting
- Electrical devices
- Other
