HC Deb 05 December 1974 vol 882 cc592-4W
Mr. Rost

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will specify the research projects being undertaken by his Department, the Building Research Establishment and the Housing Development Directorate on the construction of buildings with improved standards of thermal insulation; how much is budgeted for this research; and when he expects to publish the results.

Mr. Kaufman

Research on the construction of buildings with improved standards of thermal insulation is being undertaken by the Building Research Establishment and the Housing Development Directorate.

The Building Research Establishment is evaluating methods of energy conservation in buildings in a programme for for which £80,000 has been budgeted. The programme covers work on heat pumps, ventilation, lighting and heating as well as thermal insulation. The thermal insulation element comprises:

  1. 1. Studies of cost-effectiveness of energy conservation methods including improved thermal insulation.
  2. 2. Studies of thermal comfort in buildings including effects of insulation.
  3. 3. Evaluation of performance of cavity fill for walls, including limitations in use and remedial treatment in cases where moisture penetration and reduced sound insulation occurs.
  4. 4. Studies of the influence of thermal insulation on condensation in walls and roof spaces.
  5. 5. Design and experimental development of new buildings of low energy design. There will be a programme of publications on these topics over the next two years; a number of publications is available already.

The Housing Development Directorate has a programme of work on the thermal insulation of housing. It comprises nine projects covering different building types, climatic areas and insulation methods to investigate:

  1. 1. Possible design problems when incorporating higher levels of insulation;
  2. 2. Any unforeseeable side effects, e.g. interstitial condensation, pattern staining, differential movement; and
  3. 3. The effect on heating cost, i.e. will people opt for present heating levels at a lesser cost, or aim for higher levels based on present expenditure.

The programme is being undertaken in collaboration with BRE and the Scottish Development Department and with the co-operation of local authorities, housing associations, a new town development corporation and the Property Services Agency which are making new or existing houses available for the experimental work. The estimated total cost of the programme is £240,000.

The results will be published in the summer of 1977 when the programme will have been completed, but worthwhile interim results will be published at the end of each heating season—i.e., in the summers of 1975 and 1976.