Heating costs through the roof? Consider cladding and insulation

Cladding is used to provide an additional layer of insulation to a building which improves thermal performance and weather resistance. It can be made using a variety of technologies, materials and procedures. Metal, wood, brick, vinyl, or composites can be used with varying insulating and cost-performance.

Up to a quarter of a building's heat loss can be straight through the roof. Insulating it can reduce this heat loss by up to 90 %. Insulation is good for heating as well as cooling systems (i.e. roof insulation reduces solar thermal gain and cuts air-conditioning use).

You may want to get advice and guidance from a specialist when choosing insulation materials. Some measures can be carried out in-house (depending on your DIY skills), while others require a professional.

Result

According to the Carbon Trust, installing 250 mm of rock wool blanket insulation in an office with an uninsulated 100 m2 pitched roof would cost between £ 600 (~€ 666) and £ 800 (~€ 888), excluding labour costs.