Jason Palmer - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Jason Palmer

Research paper thumbnail of UK Housing Stock Models Using SAP: The Case for Heating Regime Change

Science Journal of Energy Engineering, 2016

Cutting energy use in housing will play a key role in the UK's efforts to reduce climate change e... more Cutting energy use in housing will play a key role in the UK's efforts to reduce climate change emissions in line with international commitments. Much UK Government policy is based on modelling present and future emissions using assumptions from SAP, the Standard Assessment Procedure. This paper compares SAP-based modelling against measured gas consumption in 405 dwellings that were monitored in the Energy Follow-Up Survey, an extension of the English Housing Survey. The combined EFUS/EHS provides comprehensive information about space heating energy use for a sample of dwellings: detailed physical data, user behaviour, and measured energy use. Very poor model versus measurement agreement is observed at the individual dwelling level-the average difference is 45%. Much better agreement is observed when applying typical EFUS regimes of 20°C mean demand temperature, 10 hours of heating a day for weekdays and weekends, and a heating season of six months, and comparing average results. Comparisons for the 405 dwellings and an EFUS subset of 1,191 dwellings are both in agreement to within 2%, whilst average 2010 and 2011 sub-national estimates are in agreement to 3% of DUKES figures. The authors recommend changing SAP heating regimes to a mean demand temperature of 20°C, 10 hours of heating a day for weekdays and weekends, and a heating season of six months.

Research paper thumbnail of Comparison of empirical and modelled energy performance across age-bands of three-bedroom dwellings in the UK

Energy and Buildings, 2015

Differences between measured and predicted energy demand of dwellings across construction age-ban... more Differences between measured and predicted energy demand of dwellings across construction age-bands are of interest since these categories mark changes in construction methods and building codes over time. This study compared empirical measures of gas consumption for three-bedroom dwellings in the UK with predictions from the Cambridge Housing Model (CHM), a bottom-up building physics model used for national energy statistics and government policy development. It used gas consumption data collected from 2008 to 2010 from a sample of 255 three-bedroom dwellings. For age-bands of dwellings built since 1919, empirical estimates of annual gas consumption in 2011 were slightly higher than the model predictions but the rate of decline across age bands matched the model closely. For dwellings built before 1919, which are characterised by solid wall construction, the empirical estimates were markedly lower than the model predictions both for annual gas consumption and the Power Temperature Gradient (W/K) a first order estimate of energy performance from monthly data. These findings have implications both for development of energy models and for policy regarding energy efficiency programmes, since they suggest retrofit of older dwellings will result in lower energy saving than predicted by current building physics models.

Research paper thumbnail of Assessing impacts of summertime overheating: some adaptation strategies

Building Research & Information, 2013

The UK is predicted to experience warmer summers in the future, but the domestic building stock i... more The UK is predicted to experience warmer summers in the future, but the domestic building stock in England was not designed to cope with this change. The Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) 2009 is used to assess the current state of the English building stock in terms of its vulnerability to overheating. The English Housing Survey 2009 provided data for 16 150 dwellings which are weighted to represent the housing stock. SAP predicts 82% of dwellings are currently at 'slight' risk of overheating and 41% at medium to high risk. If summer temperatures become 1.48 8 8 8 8C warmer, then 99% of properties are predicted to have a medium to high risk of overheating. Several potential adaptations to the housing stock were considered to reduce overheating. Although ventilation strategies had the largest positive effect, the use of solar shading and shutters which allow secure ventilation could reduce vulnerability to overheating in the current climate. In a warmer climate, although some dwellings would still be at slight risk, the results suggest that solar shading strategies could reduce the percentage of those at medium to high risk to 6%. Future energy efficiency programmes will need to include adaptation measures to prevent overheating.

Research paper thumbnail of Electricity use by Domestic Appliances in English Households

Research paper thumbnail of Architectural

Research paper thumbnail of Trends in home computing and energy demand

Building Research & Information, 2015

ABSTRACT

Research paper thumbnail of GB Housing Energy Fact File Great Britain’s

The Housing Energy Fact File aims to draw together most of the important data about energy use in... more The Housing Energy Fact File aims to draw together most of the important data about energy use in homes in Great Britain since 1970. It is intended for policy‐makers, researchers, and interested members of the public. Prepared under contract to DECC by Cambridge Architectural Research, Cambridge Econometrics and Eclipse, with data provided by BRE. The views

Research paper thumbnail of Looking Critically at Heat Loss through Party Walls

Sustainability, 2022

Heat loss through party walls to outside (not the neighbouring dwelling) has received considerabl... more Heat loss through party walls to outside (not the neighbouring dwelling) has received considerable attention in the UK, and this was flagged as a serious omission from the UK Building Regulations in 2010-12. There was evidence of significant heat loss between adjoined terraced or semi-detached new homes, which was increasingly important as heat loss from other parts of dwellings was being reduced. As a result, Building Regulations were changed so that other parts of the building envelope had to be improved in new homes to compensate for heat loss through the party wall. However, this empirical work based on measuring heat loss through the party walls of 55 UK dwellings indicates that fears about high heat loss through party walls may have been exaggerated. While a minority of dwellings (less than 10%) do suffer from a “thermal bypass” through the party wall, for the vast majority of existing homes with party walls, heat loss through the party wall is minimal. There may be a case for...

Research paper thumbnail of Cost Effective Domestic Electrification (CODE)

Research paper thumbnail of What Can We Learn from the Household Electricity Survey?

Research paper thumbnail of Looking Critically at Heat Loss through Party Walls

Sustainability

Heat loss through party walls to outside (not the neighbouring dwelling) has received considerabl... more Heat loss through party walls to outside (not the neighbouring dwelling) has received considerable attention in the UK, and this was flagged as a serious omission from the UK Building Regulations in 2010-12. There was evidence of significant heat loss between adjoined terraced or semi-detached new homes, which was increasingly important as heat loss from other parts of dwellings was being reduced. As a result, Building Regulations were changed so that other parts of the building envelope had to be improved in new homes to compensate for heat loss through the party wall. However, this empirical work based on measuring heat loss through the party walls of 55 UK dwellings indicates that fears about high heat loss through party walls may have been exaggerated. While a minority of dwellings (less than 10%) do suffer from a “thermal bypass” through the party wall, for the vast majority of existing homes with party walls, heat loss through the party wall is minimal. There may be a case for...

Research paper thumbnail of UK Housing Energy Fact File

The Housing Energy Fact File aims to draw together most of the important data about energy use in... more The Housing Energy Fact File aims to draw together most of the important data about energy use in homes in the United Kingdom since 1970. It is intended for policy-makers, researchers, and interested members of the public. Prepared under contract to DECC by Cambridge Architectural Research, Eclipse Research Consultants and Cambridge Energy. The views expressed

Research paper thumbnail of Helping small and medium-sized enterprises improve environmental management: Lessons from proactive small and micro firms

Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and the Environment: Business Imperatives, 2000

Research paper thumbnail of ARE �STANDARD� SYSTEMS RIGHT FOR SMEs?

Eco Management and Auditing, 1996

Research paper thumbnail of Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis of England's housing energy model

Building Research and Information 41 156 167, Mar 7, 2013

Research paper thumbnail of Informing Smaller Organizations about Environmental Management: An Assessmentof Government Schemes

Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 09640569811632, Aug 2, 2010

ABSTRACT UK central government has targeted small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) as a focus ... more ABSTRACT UK central government has targeted small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) as a focus for efforts aimed at improving the environmental performance of industry. It recognizes that few SMEs are active on environmental management, and has attempted to encourage greater action, through schemes aimed at providing information about what can be done. Four schemes have been launched in as many years. How useful are they for those implementing Agenda 21 in local government?This paper offers description and assessment of two free helplines, a site visit service, and the Small Company Energy and Environmental Management Assistance Scheme (SCEEMAS), which offers financial assistance towards consultancy fees. Methods of promoting the schemes and the responses received from smaller organizations are also examined. The EnvironmentalTechnology Best Practice Programme(ETBPP) Helpline is being used by relatively high numbers of SMEs, while the other schemes have yet to reach the audience they were expected to. Targeted mailshots appear to be the most effective method of promoting these schemes.

Research paper thumbnail of Great Britain's housing energy fact file

The Fact File is one in a series of reports stretching back to the early 1970s, previously prepar... more The Fact File is one in a series of reports stretching back to the early 1970s, previously prepared for the Government by the Building Research Establishment. This report was a collaborative endeavour, prepared by Cambridge Architectural Research, Cambridge Econometrics and Eclipse, using data provided by BRE, with input from Loughborough University. This report supports informed decisions about how to reduce energy use and CO 2 emissions from homes. These decisions are not only the territory of governments and policy-makers, but all of us, in day-today decisions about how homes are used and improved. Britain's homes, and how they are used, has changed enormously since 1970. * CO 2 is the most important greenhouse gas from housing, and the one most closely related to energy use in homes. Carbon emissions There are many more British homes today than there were in 1970: towards 26 million now, compared to just over 18 million at the start of the period. Inevitably, this puts upward pressure on carbon emissions. Added to this, significant changes in heating systems, comfort expectations, insulation and use of appliances have transformed carbon emissions from housing. However, some changes (like greater use of appliances) have worked against other changes aimed at saving energy and CO 2 (like better insulation). Overall there has been a broad downward trend in CO 2 emissions from housing (see graph below). However, the trajectory has not been straightand unsurprisingly, cold, prolonged winters lead to higher CO 2 emissions. (These figures are derived from the energy use data in Graph 7a, Chapter 7.) Gas use has more than trebled since 1970, while solid fuel use has fallen away from more than a third of housing CO 2 in 1970 to less than 2% today. Carbon emissions from electricity, meanwhile, have fallen by nearly a quarter since 1970. Almost all energy use results in CO 2 emissions, which contribute to climate change. Great Britain's housing stock changes very slowly. There are now getting on for 26 million dwellings in England, Scotland and Wales 8 , but only around 180,000 new homes are built each year, and far fewer homes are demolished. (The Department of Communities and Local Government defines a dwelling as 'a self-contained unit of accommodation'. A household is defined as 'one person or a group of people who have the accommodation as their only or main residence and either share at least one meal a day, or share the living room' 9 .) The total number of dwellings changes very slowly over time: the average growth in numbers of dwellings from 2000 to 2009 was only 190,000-well under 1% per year. Similarly, existing homes undergo improvements over time, but historically the rate of improvement has been very slow. More recently, CERT has accelerated the rate of upgrades, and especially of cavity wall insulation, and loft insulation-see Graph 6j in Chapter 6. Britain has now embarked on an ambitious strategy to accelerate the rate of housing energy-efficiency improvements. This, coupled with work to decarbonise energy supply, will allow progress towards climate change objectives in the housing sector.

Research paper thumbnail of Openness in household energy use

Brown/Retrofitting the Built Environment, 2013

Research paper thumbnail of United Kingdom housing energy fact file

The Housing Energy Fact File aims to draw together most of the important data about energy use in... more The Housing Energy Fact File aims to draw together most of the important data about energy use in homes in the United Kingdom since 1970. It is intended for policy-makers, researchers, and interested members of the public. Prepared under contract to DECC by Cambridge Architectural Research, Eclipse Research Consultants and Cambridge Energy. The views expressed are not necessarily DECC’s. December 2013.

Research paper thumbnail of UK Housing Energy Fact File 2013

The Housing Energy Fact File aims to draw together most of the important data about energy use in... more The Housing Energy Fact File aims to draw together most of the important data about energy use in homes in the United Kingdom since 1970. It is intended for policy-makers, researchers, and interested members of the public. Prepared under contract to UK's Department of Energy and Climate Change by Cambridge Architectural Research, Eclipse Research Consultants and Cambridge Energy.

Research paper thumbnail of UK Housing Stock Models Using SAP: The Case for Heating Regime Change

Science Journal of Energy Engineering, 2016

Cutting energy use in housing will play a key role in the UK's efforts to reduce climate change e... more Cutting energy use in housing will play a key role in the UK's efforts to reduce climate change emissions in line with international commitments. Much UK Government policy is based on modelling present and future emissions using assumptions from SAP, the Standard Assessment Procedure. This paper compares SAP-based modelling against measured gas consumption in 405 dwellings that were monitored in the Energy Follow-Up Survey, an extension of the English Housing Survey. The combined EFUS/EHS provides comprehensive information about space heating energy use for a sample of dwellings: detailed physical data, user behaviour, and measured energy use. Very poor model versus measurement agreement is observed at the individual dwelling level-the average difference is 45%. Much better agreement is observed when applying typical EFUS regimes of 20°C mean demand temperature, 10 hours of heating a day for weekdays and weekends, and a heating season of six months, and comparing average results. Comparisons for the 405 dwellings and an EFUS subset of 1,191 dwellings are both in agreement to within 2%, whilst average 2010 and 2011 sub-national estimates are in agreement to 3% of DUKES figures. The authors recommend changing SAP heating regimes to a mean demand temperature of 20°C, 10 hours of heating a day for weekdays and weekends, and a heating season of six months.

Research paper thumbnail of Comparison of empirical and modelled energy performance across age-bands of three-bedroom dwellings in the UK

Energy and Buildings, 2015

Differences between measured and predicted energy demand of dwellings across construction age-ban... more Differences between measured and predicted energy demand of dwellings across construction age-bands are of interest since these categories mark changes in construction methods and building codes over time. This study compared empirical measures of gas consumption for three-bedroom dwellings in the UK with predictions from the Cambridge Housing Model (CHM), a bottom-up building physics model used for national energy statistics and government policy development. It used gas consumption data collected from 2008 to 2010 from a sample of 255 three-bedroom dwellings. For age-bands of dwellings built since 1919, empirical estimates of annual gas consumption in 2011 were slightly higher than the model predictions but the rate of decline across age bands matched the model closely. For dwellings built before 1919, which are characterised by solid wall construction, the empirical estimates were markedly lower than the model predictions both for annual gas consumption and the Power Temperature Gradient (W/K) a first order estimate of energy performance from monthly data. These findings have implications both for development of energy models and for policy regarding energy efficiency programmes, since they suggest retrofit of older dwellings will result in lower energy saving than predicted by current building physics models.

Research paper thumbnail of Assessing impacts of summertime overheating: some adaptation strategies

Building Research & Information, 2013

The UK is predicted to experience warmer summers in the future, but the domestic building stock i... more The UK is predicted to experience warmer summers in the future, but the domestic building stock in England was not designed to cope with this change. The Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) 2009 is used to assess the current state of the English building stock in terms of its vulnerability to overheating. The English Housing Survey 2009 provided data for 16 150 dwellings which are weighted to represent the housing stock. SAP predicts 82% of dwellings are currently at 'slight' risk of overheating and 41% at medium to high risk. If summer temperatures become 1.48 8 8 8 8C warmer, then 99% of properties are predicted to have a medium to high risk of overheating. Several potential adaptations to the housing stock were considered to reduce overheating. Although ventilation strategies had the largest positive effect, the use of solar shading and shutters which allow secure ventilation could reduce vulnerability to overheating in the current climate. In a warmer climate, although some dwellings would still be at slight risk, the results suggest that solar shading strategies could reduce the percentage of those at medium to high risk to 6%. Future energy efficiency programmes will need to include adaptation measures to prevent overheating.

Research paper thumbnail of Electricity use by Domestic Appliances in English Households

Research paper thumbnail of Architectural

Research paper thumbnail of Trends in home computing and energy demand

Building Research & Information, 2015

ABSTRACT

Research paper thumbnail of GB Housing Energy Fact File Great Britain’s

The Housing Energy Fact File aims to draw together most of the important data about energy use in... more The Housing Energy Fact File aims to draw together most of the important data about energy use in homes in Great Britain since 1970. It is intended for policy‐makers, researchers, and interested members of the public. Prepared under contract to DECC by Cambridge Architectural Research, Cambridge Econometrics and Eclipse, with data provided by BRE. The views

Research paper thumbnail of Looking Critically at Heat Loss through Party Walls

Sustainability, 2022

Heat loss through party walls to outside (not the neighbouring dwelling) has received considerabl... more Heat loss through party walls to outside (not the neighbouring dwelling) has received considerable attention in the UK, and this was flagged as a serious omission from the UK Building Regulations in 2010-12. There was evidence of significant heat loss between adjoined terraced or semi-detached new homes, which was increasingly important as heat loss from other parts of dwellings was being reduced. As a result, Building Regulations were changed so that other parts of the building envelope had to be improved in new homes to compensate for heat loss through the party wall. However, this empirical work based on measuring heat loss through the party walls of 55 UK dwellings indicates that fears about high heat loss through party walls may have been exaggerated. While a minority of dwellings (less than 10%) do suffer from a “thermal bypass” through the party wall, for the vast majority of existing homes with party walls, heat loss through the party wall is minimal. There may be a case for...

Research paper thumbnail of Cost Effective Domestic Electrification (CODE)

Research paper thumbnail of What Can We Learn from the Household Electricity Survey?

Research paper thumbnail of Looking Critically at Heat Loss through Party Walls

Sustainability

Heat loss through party walls to outside (not the neighbouring dwelling) has received considerabl... more Heat loss through party walls to outside (not the neighbouring dwelling) has received considerable attention in the UK, and this was flagged as a serious omission from the UK Building Regulations in 2010-12. There was evidence of significant heat loss between adjoined terraced or semi-detached new homes, which was increasingly important as heat loss from other parts of dwellings was being reduced. As a result, Building Regulations were changed so that other parts of the building envelope had to be improved in new homes to compensate for heat loss through the party wall. However, this empirical work based on measuring heat loss through the party walls of 55 UK dwellings indicates that fears about high heat loss through party walls may have been exaggerated. While a minority of dwellings (less than 10%) do suffer from a “thermal bypass” through the party wall, for the vast majority of existing homes with party walls, heat loss through the party wall is minimal. There may be a case for...

Research paper thumbnail of UK Housing Energy Fact File

The Housing Energy Fact File aims to draw together most of the important data about energy use in... more The Housing Energy Fact File aims to draw together most of the important data about energy use in homes in the United Kingdom since 1970. It is intended for policy-makers, researchers, and interested members of the public. Prepared under contract to DECC by Cambridge Architectural Research, Eclipse Research Consultants and Cambridge Energy. The views expressed

Research paper thumbnail of Helping small and medium-sized enterprises improve environmental management: Lessons from proactive small and micro firms

Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and the Environment: Business Imperatives, 2000

Research paper thumbnail of ARE �STANDARD� SYSTEMS RIGHT FOR SMEs?

Eco Management and Auditing, 1996

Research paper thumbnail of Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis of England's housing energy model

Building Research and Information 41 156 167, Mar 7, 2013

Research paper thumbnail of Informing Smaller Organizations about Environmental Management: An Assessmentof Government Schemes

Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 09640569811632, Aug 2, 2010

ABSTRACT UK central government has targeted small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) as a focus ... more ABSTRACT UK central government has targeted small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) as a focus for efforts aimed at improving the environmental performance of industry. It recognizes that few SMEs are active on environmental management, and has attempted to encourage greater action, through schemes aimed at providing information about what can be done. Four schemes have been launched in as many years. How useful are they for those implementing Agenda 21 in local government?This paper offers description and assessment of two free helplines, a site visit service, and the Small Company Energy and Environmental Management Assistance Scheme (SCEEMAS), which offers financial assistance towards consultancy fees. Methods of promoting the schemes and the responses received from smaller organizations are also examined. The EnvironmentalTechnology Best Practice Programme(ETBPP) Helpline is being used by relatively high numbers of SMEs, while the other schemes have yet to reach the audience they were expected to. Targeted mailshots appear to be the most effective method of promoting these schemes.

Research paper thumbnail of Great Britain's housing energy fact file

The Fact File is one in a series of reports stretching back to the early 1970s, previously prepar... more The Fact File is one in a series of reports stretching back to the early 1970s, previously prepared for the Government by the Building Research Establishment. This report was a collaborative endeavour, prepared by Cambridge Architectural Research, Cambridge Econometrics and Eclipse, using data provided by BRE, with input from Loughborough University. This report supports informed decisions about how to reduce energy use and CO 2 emissions from homes. These decisions are not only the territory of governments and policy-makers, but all of us, in day-today decisions about how homes are used and improved. Britain's homes, and how they are used, has changed enormously since 1970. * CO 2 is the most important greenhouse gas from housing, and the one most closely related to energy use in homes. Carbon emissions There are many more British homes today than there were in 1970: towards 26 million now, compared to just over 18 million at the start of the period. Inevitably, this puts upward pressure on carbon emissions. Added to this, significant changes in heating systems, comfort expectations, insulation and use of appliances have transformed carbon emissions from housing. However, some changes (like greater use of appliances) have worked against other changes aimed at saving energy and CO 2 (like better insulation). Overall there has been a broad downward trend in CO 2 emissions from housing (see graph below). However, the trajectory has not been straightand unsurprisingly, cold, prolonged winters lead to higher CO 2 emissions. (These figures are derived from the energy use data in Graph 7a, Chapter 7.) Gas use has more than trebled since 1970, while solid fuel use has fallen away from more than a third of housing CO 2 in 1970 to less than 2% today. Carbon emissions from electricity, meanwhile, have fallen by nearly a quarter since 1970. Almost all energy use results in CO 2 emissions, which contribute to climate change. Great Britain's housing stock changes very slowly. There are now getting on for 26 million dwellings in England, Scotland and Wales 8 , but only around 180,000 new homes are built each year, and far fewer homes are demolished. (The Department of Communities and Local Government defines a dwelling as 'a self-contained unit of accommodation'. A household is defined as 'one person or a group of people who have the accommodation as their only or main residence and either share at least one meal a day, or share the living room' 9 .) The total number of dwellings changes very slowly over time: the average growth in numbers of dwellings from 2000 to 2009 was only 190,000-well under 1% per year. Similarly, existing homes undergo improvements over time, but historically the rate of improvement has been very slow. More recently, CERT has accelerated the rate of upgrades, and especially of cavity wall insulation, and loft insulation-see Graph 6j in Chapter 6. Britain has now embarked on an ambitious strategy to accelerate the rate of housing energy-efficiency improvements. This, coupled with work to decarbonise energy supply, will allow progress towards climate change objectives in the housing sector.

Research paper thumbnail of Openness in household energy use

Brown/Retrofitting the Built Environment, 2013

Research paper thumbnail of United Kingdom housing energy fact file

The Housing Energy Fact File aims to draw together most of the important data about energy use in... more The Housing Energy Fact File aims to draw together most of the important data about energy use in homes in the United Kingdom since 1970. It is intended for policy-makers, researchers, and interested members of the public. Prepared under contract to DECC by Cambridge Architectural Research, Eclipse Research Consultants and Cambridge Energy. The views expressed are not necessarily DECC’s. December 2013.

Research paper thumbnail of UK Housing Energy Fact File 2013

The Housing Energy Fact File aims to draw together most of the important data about energy use in... more The Housing Energy Fact File aims to draw together most of the important data about energy use in homes in the United Kingdom since 1970. It is intended for policy-makers, researchers, and interested members of the public. Prepared under contract to UK's Department of Energy and Climate Change by Cambridge Architectural Research, Eclipse Research Consultants and Cambridge Energy.