Insulation is a fundamental component of any energy efficient and sustainable building. Most now agree that the ‘energy saving potential’ of insulation, measured over the lifetime of a building, should be the dominant factor in its specification. In fact, the lifetime differences between various insulation products are small. The most important factor of all is [...]
Paul McAlister Architects will be exhibiting at this years SelfBuild – Extend & Renovate Show, King’s Hall, Belfast
17, 18, & 19 February, 2011
The SelfBuild Show will feature new products and technologies to enable and promote sustainable building practices throughout Ireland. With the price of home heating oil doubling within a year and utility bills [...]
Different forms of energy have different costs per unit (1 kWh) of energy. Table 1 shows the typical cost to a domestic consumer of different forms of energy and also the cost relative to gas. Actual prices will vary depending on market fluctuations, supplier and quantities purchased. From this simple analysis it can be seen [...]
Each type of building will have a different pattern of energy consumption throughout each day and throughout the year. Predicting the energy used by a building is complicated because of the wide range of factors that affect its energy consumption. These include:
Building type: Buildings enclose a wide range of human activity. For example, [...]
Australian student, Claire Burgess, called into the office to share her recently completed low energy design with us. The year 13 student is visiting Northern Ireland for two months to study which she organised herself and decided to spend a day work experience here at Paul McAlister Architects. Being the first Passive House designer in [...]
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