U Values

Task 1 - Recap

Remind the person next to you:

     • Why fibreglass is a good insulating material.

     • Why a cavity wall reduces conduction.

     • Why filling the cavity with foam will further reduce heat loss.

     • Why the best double glazing has a vacuum between the panes.

Task 2

"U-Values" are useful for comparing building materials.  Your teacher will explain to you what a U-Value is and give you a copy of this sheet to stick in your exercise book.

We are going to complete this exercise to calculate the heat being transferred from various parts of your classroom.  The information in this table will be useful to help us with estimates of U-value for each part of the room.

Task 3

Building regulations in England and Wales determine acceptable U-values for walls and windows.  Look at the table of U-values below.  Use the information answer the questions on this worksheet.

Task 4 - Payback Times

The most effective methods of insulation reduce the energy losses by a large amount, and so reduce our heating bills a lot.

The most cost effective methods will save a lot of money compared to their cost.  We calculate the payback time to find out which materials are most cost effective.  The payback time is the time taken for the savings to equal the initial cost.

Copy and complete the table by calculating the payback times for each method.

When you have finished, complete the following sentences:

1. The most effective method of insulation is _______________.

2. The most cost-effective method of insulation is _______________.