Thermal insulation, a matter of energy efficiency
For a house—or any other type of building—to be energy-efficient, the energy spent to heat it or air-condition it must be used to reach the desired temperature without too much loss. For instance, heating a house with the windows open in the winter will result in a waste of energy. But if the building is poorly insulated, it will constantly lose its heat, and the energy costs will be higher.
What is thermal insulation?
The purpose of thermal insulation is to stop the heat and cold transfer (thermal transfer) between the different parts of a building. It concerns many of its components, which must be taken into account during the various steps of the construction or maintenance:
- the roof and the attic space
- the walls
- the floors
- the ventilation ducts and pipes (in this case, the term lagging is used)