Renewable heat is an application of renewable energy. It refers to the renewable generation of heat, rather than electrical power.
It will take time to build a supply infrastructure for renewable energy for heat. Therefore, if the world economy is to sustain the highest possible proportion of renewable heat, energy efficiency must be promoted.
Improvements to insulation can cut energy consumption greatly, making a space cheaper to heat and to cool. However existing housing can often be difficult or expensive to improve. Newer buildings can benefit from many of the techniques of superinsulation. Older buildings can benefit from several kinds of improvement:
- Solid wall insulation: A building with solid walls can benefit from internal or external insulation. External wall insulation involves adding a decorative weather-proof insulating panels or other treatment to the outside of the wall. Alternatively, internal wall insulation can be applied using ready-made insulation/plaster board laminates, or other methods. Thicknesses of internal or external insulation typically range between 50 and 100mm.
- Cavity wall insulation: A building with cavity walls can benefit from insulation pumped into the cavity. This form of insulation is very cost effective.
- Programmable thermostats allow heating and cooling of a room to be switched off depending the time, day of the week, and temperature. A bedroom, for example, does not need to be heated during the day, but a living room does not need to be heated during the night.
- Roof insulation
- Insulated windows and doors
- Draught proofing
Underfloor heating is significantly more energy efficient that traditional methods of heating:
- Water circulates within the system at low temperature (35°C - 50°C) making gas boilers, wood fired boilers, and heat pumps significantly more efficient.
- Rooms with underfloor heating are cooler near the ceiling, where heat is not required, but warmer underfoot, where comfort is most required.
- Traditional radiators are frequently positioned underneath a poorly insulated windows, heating them unnecessarily.
