QUAKER GREEN ACTION

The Witness of Our Buildings

Information sheets to help Friends make our
buildings less damaging to the environment

I. ENERGY CONSERVATION
As explained in information sheet II. Sources of Energy for Heating etc our consumption of fossil fuels is
leading to serious damage to the earth. For most buildings, heating is the largest consumer of fuels and it is
only in very modern, well-insulated buildings that the consumption for hot water, lights and electrical
appliances may be larger. The primary focus of this sheet is thus heating.

The amount of pollution we generate from heating with fossil fuels depends on three factors:
1. The fuel we choose
2. The efficiency of the boiler and heating system
3. The ability of the building to retain heat

This sheet addresses the second and third of these, for the first factor see information sheet II.

The efficiency of the boiler and heating system

For older buildings the most critical component in the heating system, in terms of the effect on the consumption
off fossil fuels and the resultant carbon dioxide pollution, will be the boiler efficiency and the controls fitted.

We are lucky that now the Government has created a freely accessible internet listing at www.boilers.org.uk
containing the tested efficiency of all boilers in the UK, both new and old.

This allows comparison of the performance of different boilers on an equal basis. Before these standards were
agreed, manufacturers would often quote the peak rather than seasonal average efficiency for their products,
and worst still, use different bases for the calculation, making effective comparison very difficult.

All boilers that are listed have a SEDBUK rating (short for “seasonal efficiency of domestic boilers in the
UK”). This figure is representative of the likely efficiency to be found in practice with UK heating systems and
weather variations. The figure ranges from around 55% to 92% for the most efficient boilers (see table below).
For convenience, all boilers are divided into seven bands, A to G, in a very similar way to the labelling of
fridges, freezers and washing machines.

SEDBUK rating EFFICIENCY

A 90% and above
B 86% - 90%
C 82% - 86%
D 78% - 82%
E 74% - 78%
F 70% - 74%
G Below 70%
The new building regulations that came into force
in April 2002 mean that effectively boilers in
categories E, F and G are no longer allowed to be
installed in the UK, and it is expected that
manufacturers will stop making these boilers.
However, that still does leave a tremendous range
from the bottom of band D (78%) to the top of band
A (92%).

Energy Conservation (April 2002)) Page 1

It is recommended that all boiler replacements are taken from band A only. This will be a modest extra
cost for homes and meeting houses (say £400), but will produce savings in fuel use and hence pollution and
cost, of around 15%, before considering any extra savings from controls.

There are three rules for heating system controls:

1. There should be a room thermostat and a time switch for the heating, and similarly a cylinder
thermostat and time switch (or programmer) if the system also supplies hot water from a cylinder.
2. The controls should have “boiler interlock” i.e. the boiler should not fire unless there is a call for heat.
This sounds just good practice, but it is estimated that there are around 25% of central heating systems
in the UK that do not have this feature
3. The systems should be fully pumped, that is gravity circulation should be replaced as it is inefficient.
The savings that are typical from upgrading controls to these standards are of the order of another 15%.

If hot water is supplied by the central heating boiler there are several points to consider.

Hot water cylinders should be insulated and hot water pipes should be lagged. Putting an insulating cover on
an uninsulated cylinder will save money.

If the cylinder is to be replaced make sure that it is replaced with a cylinder marked to BS1566. This guarantees
that the insulation is of a reasonable thickness and that the heat exchanger will work efficiently with modern
boilers.

You may be able to save energy by installing a combination (“combi”) boiler, which heats water as it is used
rather than heating a storage cylinder.

There are more general points on water heating below.

The ability of the building to retain heat

This is the second part of the work to be done.

Meeting Houses and other buildings vary a great deal in age, construction, size and location, so that it is
difficult to provide information suitable for all. However, the following may contain useful tips.

Energy Efficiency Advice Centres

There are nearly 50 Energy Efficiency Advice Centres in the UK which give free and impartial advice to
householders and small businesses on cost-effective ways of saving energy (apparently a Meeting House would
count as a small business). All the Centres can be contacted on Freefone 0800-512012. You will be put in
touch with your nearest Centre who will send you a simple Energy Survey Form for Small Businesses.

For most Meeting Houses this may be more appropriate than paying for an energy rating. However if you are
considering buying a new property for use as a Meeting House it might be worth paying for an energy rating
assessment before deciding on the purchase.

Energy Rating
There are two national home energy rating schemes - higher numbers indicate greater energy efficiency:

The Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) on a scale from 1-120

The National Home Energy Rating (NHER) on a scale of 0 to 10

The two energy scales measure slightly different things: SAP looks only at the fixed elements of the building
and is the same wherever the property is located. All homes built to the same design should have exactly the
same SAP and new regulations mean all new homes must display their SAP rating. This should be at least 80-
85. The NHER rating is more meaningful, as it includes various location-specific elements (e.g., whether the
building is South-facing or sheltered from wind by other buildings) and so reflects actual running costs.

Energy Conservation (April 2002)) Page 2

The NHER Scheme is administered by National Energy Services Ltd. Various organisations are franchised to
deliver ratings under this scheme, which also offers SAP ratings and predictions of annual running costs.
Contact the National Home Rating Scheme on 01908 672787 for details of a qualified NHER assessor to carry
out an audit in your area. An assessor carrying out an NHER rating should give you advice on how to improve
the energy efficiency of a building and a typical building may receive something like the following table.

Comparative Effectiveness of measures.

Measure taken Annual fuel bill CO2 emission
savings (£) reduction (kg)
Draught-proofing 10-20 125-250
Loft insulation 60-70 750-880
Windows: plastic secondary 15-25 190-320
whole unit 15-35 190-450
Walls: cavity insulation 60-70 750-880
internal 45-55 590-720
external 55-85 720-1120
Floors insulation 5-15 60-190
Lagging hot water pipes 5-10 60-125
Shelf over radiator 5-10 60-125
Foil behind radiators 5-10 60-125
from: The Ethical Consumer Issue 30, Jan/July 1994, Green Buildings Special

Energy Conservation measures

Around 60% of the energy consumed by a building is used for heating so it is very important to undertake all
the insulation and draught-proofing measures that you can afford.

Draught-proofing
This is the easiest work to start with, and can be very effective, as 15-50% of heat loss can be due to draughts.

a) Windows: Unless these are sealed, draught spaces can usually be found round frames and sections. A
variety of sealing strips are available, including silicone rubber tubes for sash windows. Metal strips last
longer but cost more. There are several firms offering sash window renovation schemes which reduces
energy loss associated with draughts while keeping the original timber windows. As an energy conservation
measure it qualifies for the low 5% VAT rate level. Some companies are listed in the useful contacts
section.

b) Doors: Draught-preventing strips can be fixed to the top and sides of doors, and a brush type of strip to the
bottom, which will sweep over uneven floors and carpets. Screening letter-boxes and even key-holes can be
helpful. A porch on the outside (or inside if there is space) can act as a draught-proofer and insulator,
preventing direct access of cold air.

c) Floors: Sealing spaces round skirting boards with acrylic or silicone sealant or with wood coving can be
done. Gaps between floorboards can be filled with soft string coated with sealant, or by thin lathes of wood.

Ventilation
Draught-proofing is essential to save energy but obviously homes will need some ventilation at times. This can
be obtained by opening windows, leaving chimneys unblocked even if open fires are not used, and special
ventilation devices. Extractor fans should have shutters to prevent draughts when they are off. In a new
building, natural stack ventilation can be provided for. This enables hot air to rise naturally and come out at the
top, under the eaves or elsewhere.

Energy Conservation (April 2002)) Page 3

Plants(1)
Indoor plants such as bamboo plam, rubber plant, areca palm (yellow or Butterfly palm), english ivy, dwarf date
palm, boston fern, peace lily, kimberley queen, chrysanthemum morifolium (florists' mum), gerbera daisy,
umbrella tree and spider plant are recommended for the removal of pollutants from indoor air.

Insulation
a) Roofs: Loft insulation is the most important measure to start with, as it is relatively simple and will usually
pay for itself in energy savings. At least 10 inches depth of material should be used. Choose a non-toxic
material such as mineral wool (fibreglass or rock wool), vermiculite (mineral) or cellulose fibres (Warmcell
being an example). Sheep’s wool may also be available.
Flat roofs: These are more difficult to insulate, but can be done internally or externally. The latter is
simple in principle, but it is difficult to find environmentally friendly materials. Internal insulation can be
done by either covering the ceiling with insulation boards pinned through the plaster to the joists and
papered or painted over, or by fixing a false ceiling on battens, and installing mineral wool or other
insulation in the space between, using a vapour barrier.
b) Floors: Resurfacing with boards or other surfaces may be appropriate (cork tiles). A good carpet with a felt
or rubber underlay, or layers of newspaper, can be sufficient. If you have to take floors up for any reason,
under-floor insulation can be fixed, hung in netting from the joists.
c) Windows: Double-glazing can reduce heat loss through windows.. This can vary from cheap DIY methods
and materials, to expensive replacement sealed units. Heavy lined curtains with a pelmet, and reaching the
length of the windows are quite effective:

Plastic film sheeting is the cheapest “double-glazing”, using clingfilm and sellotape. Clean the window and
frames first, and let them dry off. This method will only last one winter and is rather fiddly. Clear polythene
can be used, attached with double-sided adhesive tape. It is more expensive than clingfilm but lasts longer. A
more permanent method is to use a pane of glass or plastic, screwed or fixed with a magnetic strip to the frame.
Replacement sealed units are probably not worth fitting unless the window needs to be replaced anyway. They
can be composed of low emissivity glass and contain argon, so reducing heat loss even further. Get a number
of estimates before arranging for this to be done and avoid PVC if possible (consult AECB for alternatives).
Several sash window renovation companies offer renovation of existing frames with installation of draught
cutting systems and sometimes double-glazing - a few are listed in the resources below.
d) Walls: Much heat can be lost through walls, which may be cavity or solid.
i) Cavity (most houses built after 1930): Insulating materials can be blown into the cavity. Choose a
non-toxic material (see “Roofs”). Avoid urea-formaldehyde foam, which can give off toxic fumes of
formaldehyde.
ii) Solid: Best carried out when the walls need renovating anyway, as the procedures are expensive.
Insulation may be internal, either of prefabricated thermal boards with a vapour check, which are fixed

Energy Conservation (April 2002)) Page 4

 to the plaster with adhesive and screw plug fittings, or by fixing battens to the walls and board to these,
filling the space between with insulating material and a vapour check between the insulation and the
plaster. External insulation alters the appearance of the house, so planning permission may be required.
Expanded polystyrene or mineral fibre slabs can be used but need a durable cladding.
Water heating
This is usually the next biggest consumer of energy after space heating. There are two main types, storage and
instant:

The choice depends on the number of people using the

system, the frequency of use, and the amounts required. If
you have a south-facing roof, some money to spare, and
would like to set an example of our Quaker witness, solar
panels for water heating provide an environmentally
benign method of water heating. These systems are
becoming cheaper and more efficient, and if you have a
DIY expert can be installed without too much expense. A
storage tank is needed for solar heating.
Many central heating systems also provide hot water by
heating a storage tank full of water. If you have a storage
tank, it needs to be well insulated and have a thermostatic
control so that the temperature can be set to the lowest
Storage heater (left) and instantaneous heater (right). which is comfortable for washing. Insulating your hot
Duncan Wood, in Eco- Renovation by Edward Harland, 1993 water tank and lagging the hot water pipes will save
money as well as energy.
When you replace your boiler, you may be able to save energy by installing a combination boiler that heats the
water directly when a hot tap is turned on. You might also consider installing several individual water heaters
in different areas. They can save on heat loss from pipes, and on the wastage of water and energy when hot taps
take a long time to “run hot”.

Miscellaneous measures
A conservatory will act as a buffer, collecting solar energy during the day and trapping escaping heat at night.
It should face east, to get the morning sun, or south.
Silver foil behind radiators on an external wall reflects heat back into the room. A shelf above the radiators
does the same, and prevents the heat rising up to the ceiling.
Only heat the rooms that are needed, and keep doors shut between different rooms. Turn off lights when not in
use, or not needed (e.g. during Meeting for worship!).

References and useful resources

BRECSU, Garston, Watford, WD2 7JR, tel. 01923 664258, free leaflets on a variety of subjects
Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynlleth, Powys SY20 9AZ; website: www.cat.org.uk
Government Environmental Department. An information pack from the ‘Are you doing your bit? campaign
can be obtained free by phoning 08457-868686 or website: www.doingyourbit.org.uk

AECB (Association for Environment-Conscious Building) Nant-y-Garreg, Saron, Llandysul, Carmarthenshire

SA44 5EJ www.aecb.net
(1)
How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 Houseplants that purify your Home or Office by Dr. B. C. Wolverton. Penquin
1996.

For energy rating survey:

National Home Energy Rating Scheme: 01908 672787
Your Local Energy Efficiency Advice Centre Freefone 0800 512 012

Energy Conservation (April 2002)) Page 5

 Colin Bemrose - energy consultant specialising in energy use in churches and community buildings - 9
Wordsworth Road, Rugby, Warwicks CV22 6HY Tel 01788 810978 or 0411 609325 email:
colin@cbemrose.freeserve.co.uk

Sash Window renovation companies:

Sash Window Workshop 2000 - based in Berkshire and serve London and the South - offer renovation
(using FSC timber), draught exclusion and double-glazing of existing window using specialist on site
technique. Tel: 0800597 2598; website: www.sashwindow.com
MH Joinery Services - based in Yorkshire - offer renovation, draught exclusion and double-glazing. Tel:
01423 562999 website: www.mywebpage.net/windows
Sash Window Specialists - based in Birmingham and serve the Midlands - offer renovation and draught
exclusion. Tel: 07812 105917; website: freespace.virgin.net/s.free
Ventrolla - based in Berkshire - won Design Council Award for renovation and draught exclusion.
Tel: 0800 783 8593

(This Building Sheet is based on Quaker Green Concern's The Witness of Our Buildings Information Sheet I
dated July 1997. We are grateful to Peter Warm of AECB for help in updating this Sheet, which also uses
information from the very useful website of the National Energy Foundation: www.natenergy.org.uk)

*******************************

Case Study: Dorking Meeting House

Dorking Friends Meeting House, built in 1850, is a single storey building with the following rooms to the front:

· Entrance Lobby
· Small office to the right, used by Age Concern
· Small meeting room to the left

To the rear of the building there are the following rooms:

· Main meeting room.

· Small hall, divided from the meeting room by a moveable partition.
· Kitchen and storage area.
· Toilets.

The rooms to the front have a low roof and those to the rear a high roof. The ceiling height in the rear part of the
building is considerable, particularly in the main and small halls.

Usage of Rooms

The use to which each of the rooms within the building is put varies considerably. The Age Concern office to
the right hand side of the lobby is used most week days, and so needs to be heated most of the time.

A playgroup makes use of the small hall and kitchen areas during weekday mornings and early afternoon until 1
or 2pm. This area therefore also needs to be heated most of the time.

The small meeting room to the left of the lobby is not used as much, and would not need to be heated when the other rooms
require warmth. The same applies to the main meeting hall. This area has a high ceiling and draughty sash windows, and
represents the highest demand for heat when the system is on

Heating System

Energy Conservation (April 2002)) Page 6

The heating system is supplied with low temperature hot water from a floor standing gas-fired boiler located in
an outhouse attached to the rear of the main hall. The system is similar to a large domestic installation, with a
single pumped circuit at atmospheric pressure fed from a header tank in the roof space. The pipework is mostly
threaded steel in a variety of bore sizes, with some modifications in 15mm copper. There does not appear to be
a bypass limb in the boiler feed and return pipework, although it is conceivable but unlikely that a bypass is
fitted under the floor of either the small, or main, halls.

A single stage ‘Grundfos’ circulation pump feeds heated water around the system.

The boiler is in good condition, and has been regularly serviced. It is a conventional non-condensing boiler with
a cast iron heat exchanger heated by an atmospheric burner below. Flue gases are discharged to an existing
chimney by natural draught via a connecting flue in refractory fibre composite cement. The efficiency of the
boiler is unlikely to exceed 70%.

Emitters

A variety of emitters are fitted throughout the building, and there does not seem to be a consistent approach to
sizes or types of radiator. This suggests that the system has been modified at various times as the usage of
rooms has changed, or problems with heating noticed.

The main hall is fitted with low profile finned tube radiators covering the majority of the side and rear wall
lengths, these are sited underneath the side benches, and hot air exits from under the front edge of these
benches. On a still day, the heating system appears to cope reasonably well, and the environment in the main
hall on a Sunday morning is reasonably comfortable even when the external temperature is below freezing. If
the day is cold and windy however, the poor draught sealing on the large sash windows causes the heating
system to be unable to heat the room adequately, and it is then only comfortable for the lucky few occupying
the peripheral benches directly over the radiators.

Two cast iron floor standing radiators have been fitted at each side of the partition within the main hall, and
were probably intended to provide additional heating where a wainscot radiator could not be used. These
radiators are bulky, and the one near the entrance door obstructs the partition slightly when open.

The small hall, kitchen and occasional meeting rooms are fitted with double walled pressed steel radiators. In
the small hall and kitchen these are of adequate size or greater. In the occasional meeting room the radiator
occupies the entire length of the external wall, and is considered to be rather larger than the room requires.

The Age Concern office is fitted with a small double wall pressed steel radiator under the sash window at the
front of the building. This radiator is much too small for the needs of this office, particularly as there are doors
to both sides into colder areas, the lobby, and the connecting passage to the warden’s cottage. This room
requires additional heating capacity.

The Control System

Boiler on and off times are controlled by a modern electronic programmer, offering 3 on and off times on
weekdays, and an alternative 3 on and off times on weekends. Combined with manual operation by the warden
when required, the on and off automation is adequate for the needs of the building.

The boiler is fitted with a water temperature thermostat allowing the temperature of the heating circuit to be
increased when demand is high during the winter season.

The boiler is sited externally, and should be fitted with a frost thermostat to protect the system in the event that
the boiler is set to permanently off during periods of low temperature. Wiring for a frost thermostat exists, and a
note written on the wiring suggests that the thermostat was removed and not replaced in 1991.

A single thermostat sited near the door to the garden at the rear of the small hall switches the boiler on and off
according to air temperature at this point, and this is the only electrical thermostatic control.
Thermostatic valves are fitted to the cast iron radiators near to the internal moveable partition in the main hall.
These are ‘Danfoss’ remote capsule TRVs. One valve is inoperative, and the other may also have failed.

Energy Conservation (April 2002)) Page 7

The heating control system is rudimentary, and does not allow energy to be used in an efficient manner, as it is
not possible to heat the areas of the building in a way that matches the use to which the rooms are put.

Recommendations

The recommendations outlined below assume that a minimum cost solution is required, and that the committee
does not wish to invest money in replacing expensive equipment whilst useful life remains in the existing plant.
For this reason the improvements suggested are relatively easy modifications to the existing system, and do not
represent the best performance that could be obtained by replacing some or all of the building heating system.

Improvements to the Boiler and Heating Circuit

The pipework layout in the boiler shed should be reviewed in detail, and should be revised to include a bypass
limb. This will allow the boiler differential temperature to be controlled independently of the flow through the
emitters, allowing more radiators to be fitted with TRVs.

Zone valves should be considered in order to make the main hall system separately controllable from the rest of
the building.

Improvements to the Emitters

The radiator in the Age Concern office should be replaced by a larger unit, or additional units, allowing a
greater input of heat in this area. The radiator area should be recalculated to take account of the draughts caused
by the frequent opening and shutting of the connecting doors, and the sash window to the front. This should be
considered an essential modification.

The large double wall steel radiators in the small hall, kitchen and occasional meeting room could if desired be
replaced by smaller modern radiators with a higher efficiency. This would reduce the wall area taken up by
radiators, however this would only be worthwhile if fixed furniture in the room concerned was to be rearranged,
necessitating moving one or more of the existing radiators.

Improvements to the Control System

The control system requires a number of improvements in order to increase efficiency, protect the heating
system and better meet the pattern of use in the building.

The radiators in the small hall, kitchen and occasional meeting room should be fitted with thermostatic radiator
valves (TRVs). The best types would be remote capsule units, but a valve-mounted thermostat would be
acceptable and better than the current uncontrolled arrangement.

The missing frost thermostat in the boiler shed should be replaced before next winter. This should be considered
a priority as the boiler and pump could be ruined were water to freeze within the equipment.

The system controls should be split with the fitting of a zone valve to isolate the main meeting hall from the
other parts of the building. An additional electrical thermostat sited suitably within the main hall should control
the zone valve, allowing the main hall heating to be switched off or to a lower temperature when not required.
An enhancement would be a further time switch giving separate on and off times for the main hall, within the
on times set for the rest of the building, and would require only one zone valve.

The existing thermostat in the small hall should be moved to a location unaffected by the draughts created when
the door to the garden is opened. The thermostat should be replaced when and if the system is split.

The above control modifications require the boiler to be fitted with a bypass to prevent a low flow condition
through the heat exchanger should all the control valves shut down together.

Gerrard Carroll

Energy Conservation (April 2002)) Page 8