Energy Efficient Wall

Hola~buen día a todos

Such a hazy day in the ASEAN countries, especially Malaysia and Indonesia. We all know that this is due to the open burning and it's getting worse. Somehow I hope that the countries' leaders can all sit down together and think of a solution for this environmental problem. Just like some of my colleagues were complaining about how hot their homes could get during these hazy days or even have some smells, which is not healthy.

So while we were all talking about these problems, we discussed if there's any wall that could do more than just covering the house's parameter? Is there any walls that could actually prevent heats from forming in the home? That's the today's topic that we shall discuss in this blog post.

Wall Types

A wall is a structure that defines an area, carries a load, or provides shelter or security. There are many kinds of walls:

• Defensive walls in fortification
• Walls in buildings that form a fundamental part of the superstructure or separate interior sections, sometimes for fire safety
• Retaining walls, which hold back earth, stone, or water
• Walls that protect from oceans 
• Permanent, solid fences
• Border barriers between countries (sometimes)

The materials you use for the walls in your home will affect how your home looks (both inside and out), how it'll stand up to fires, wind and physical stress, and how energy efficient your home is as a whole. Not many people are aware of just how many different types of wall materials are available. 

Framing Materials - The different materials that can be used to create the frame or structure of a home will have a big impact on its strength, insulation and cost.

Internal Wall Materials - The materials used on the walls inside a home have to be safe, compatible with the lighting scheme, and easy to maintain and keep clean.

External Wall Materials - External walls need to be tough, but they also need to look good. 

Problems With Non-Efficient Walls

A non-efficient walls usually provide a bad insulation for the homes. Many buildings with these features experience higher than anticipated utility bills, elevated levels of moisture or indoor air pollutants, and premature deterioration caused by moisture accumulation in walls and roofs. There are some areas that need to be inspected to provide good insulation.

Air Leakage Pathways

This illustration shows the cross-section of a building that many would consider to be energy-efficient: 2x6 studs, “housewrap” on the exterior, thick roof insulation, and insulated windows. As the arrows show, there can still be many places where there can be substantial air leakage. Some arrows indicate how air can flow from the interior to the exterior or from the exterior to the interior; other arrows indicate how exterior air blowing past the drywall can cause energy loss through conduction without entering or leaving the interior of the building; still other arrows indicate pathways for radon and other soil gases.

A – between wall top plates and drywall
B – through cracks in recessed fixtures
C – short circuits through attic insulation
D – between wall top plates and drywall
E – through gaps in siding and sheathing
F – through holes in electrical boxes
G – between bottom plate and drywall
H – between bottom plate and subfloor
I – between rim joist and subfloor
J – between rim joist and top plate
K – between top plates and drywall
L – around window and door jambs
M – leaky windows and doors
N – between window framing and drywall
O – between bottom plate and drywall
P – between bottom plate and subfloor
Q – between rim joist and subfloor
R – between rim joist and sill plate
S – between sill plate and foundation wall
T – through cracks in foundation wall
U – between floor and foundation wall
V – through cracks in floor slab

Heat Conduction Pathways

This illustration shows the cross-section of a building that many would consider to be energy-efficient: 2x6 studs, “housewrap” on the exterior, thick roof insulation, and insulated windows. As the arrows show, there can still be many places where substantial heat loss can occur through conduction.

A – uninsulated joists
B – minimal insulation above fixtures
C – insufficient ceiling insulation
D – insufficient insulation at corners
E – uninsulated double top plates
F – uninsulated wall studs
G – poorly fitted insulation
H – uninsulated electrical boxes
I – uninsulated bottom plate
J – inadequately insulated rim joist
K – uninsulated double top plates
L – uninsulated window header
M – improperly insulated window gaps
N – uninsulated bottom plate
O – inadequate rim joist insulation
P – uninsulated sill plate
Q – inadequate wall insulation
R – uninsulated slab

Moisture Transmission Pathways

There are four basic ways moisture moves in and out of buildings: it can flow as liquid water (since this is usually a consequence of poor flashing and drainage details, it is not covered here), it can can be sucked as liquid water by capillary forces acting in narrow spaces, it can be carried in as a vapor in air, and it can diffuse as a vapor through building materials.

A – in air, between top plates and drywall
B – in air, through cracks in fixtures
C – by diffusion, upward in winter
D – by diffusion, downward in summer
E – in air, through ventilation inlets
F – by diffusion, outward in winter
G – by diffusion, inward in summer
H – by capillarity, through siding spaces
I – in air, through cracks in electrical boxes
J – in air, between bottom plate and drywall
K – in air, through insulation materials
L – in air, between drywall and top plates
M – in air, condensation on cold glass
N – in air, between framing and drywall
O – in air, between bottom plate and drywall
P – in air, through insulation materials
Q – in air, behind basement walls
R – by capillarity, from foundation to sill
S – by diffusion, through basement drywall
T – by diffusion and capillarity
U – by water flow, through cracks
V – by diffusion, from foundation to drywall
W – in air, between plate and drywall
X – in air, between bottom plate and slab
Y – by diffusion or capillarity through slab
Z – by diffusion, through footer and up wall

Energy Efficient Wall

Now, more than ever before, energy efficiency is one of the most important considerations when choosing building materials to use in homes and all forms of building construction.

As can be seen from the above diagram, the largest area of heat loss is through uninsulated walls. This has therefore been our main area of focus. The top priorities for energy efficient buildings is to be able to keep actual energy consumption low whilst decreasing the loss of heat from a building during cold days, and minimizing the entry of heat during the hot months.

Architects and builders are excited about Energy Efficient Brick because it is able to easily achieve these energy saving objectives. Most of a home’s energy consumption is spent in heating and cooling the interior, so one of the most important steps is to try and minimize these requirements.

The Green Energy Brick provides a continuous, unbroken layer around the building envelope and ensures airtight walls with the highest in energy rating performance. This allows for the purchase of much smaller sized heating and cooling equipment. With smaller equipment comes less initial outlay, and less ongoing costs.

Advances in modern technology have produced light weight, super energy efficient, yet stronger materials that can out perform many of the traditional construction materials. Let's review again the R rating comparisons below and you will again be impressed with the Energy Brick's performance!

Standard Clay bricks................................................................R0.078
Double brick with air space between...........................................R0.316
Weatherboards........................................................................R0.086
190mm hollow concrete blocks...................................................R0.19
Double 90mm hollow concrete blocks with air space in between.......R0.44
Cellular concrete with a density of 1,600kg/m3.............................R0.115
Cellular concrete with a density of 320kg/m3................................R1.19
Green Energy Bricks.................................................................R8+

*The higher the R-Value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. 

The unique Energy Brick, gives the look and feel of brick construction and yet vastly improves the energy rating of homes with their massive R8+ energy rating, and so provides the very best in energy performance, in any climate. Whether in the far reaches of Northern Australia, in the middle of the desert, or in the Southern parts of Asia, the Energy Brick meets the exacting requirements to minimize the use of artificial heating and cooling in a building, therefore saving you money!

An energy-efficient home is one that lowers energy bills and helps cut heating and cooling costs while enjoying more consistent temperatures in your home, all year round. Choosing the correct wall construction material makes all the difference regarding energy efficiency.