New Waterproof Technology Could Cut Household Energy Consumption

Posted under Blog by Ruth

New waterproofing technology could help to cut energy use in homes by around 30 percent.

A silicone-based compound has been tested by scientists at the University of Portsmouth to cover the walls of a small home. They found that, in wet conditions, the amount of energy required to heat the home was reduced by around a third.

This could mean big things to homeowners in the UK, meaning that the average heating bill of a semi-detached house that already has double glazing and loft insulation could save over £100 a year. Once applied, the waterproofing is estimated to last for around 20-30 years.

The project, which cost £20,000, was part of a government competition to help find new solutions to environmental issues of residential property in the UK.

Dr Zhongyi Zhang of the University said that keeping the brickwork dry means that the insulation properties of the materials can be improved, as the water no longer cools the building. He added ‘the concept is simple but effective and should work particularly well in the UK climate and north Europe’.

Measures such as double glazing in windows are already available to help homeowners to dramatically cut the heat lost through the windows, helping them to save an average of £135 per year on their energy bills.