MKM is putting power to proactively improve a building’s energy performance into the hands of installers and consumers with the release of our own U-Value Calculator.

 

Users of the MKM U-Value Calculator, which helps to determine the rate of heat loss through a building's envelope, will get a clear picture as to the best materials they can use to improve insulation.

 

The tool allows users to select the area they wish to look at insulating – such as roof, external wall or floor – before breaking that down into a subsection and precisely choose any variant within those parameters.

 

The lower the U-Value, the better the thermal performance of the building envelope.

 

Unlike other U-Value calculators available, MKM’s solution incorporates materials from a variety of sources, providing users with a greater variety of insulation options to choose from.

 

The U-Value Calculator’s key purpose is to help ascertain how a rating can reach levels suitable for compliance with Government legislation – much of which is going to be changed or updated over the coming months and years.

 

Amendments to the Building Regulations (Part L and Part F) will see stricter building and infrastructure standards enforced from June 2023 to ensure that both older and new buildings are more energy efficient and do not contribute to climate change. 

 

  

Frank Brown, Product Manager at MKM, said: “Using a U-Value calculator can be a valuable tool for builders, architects, and homeowners to ensure that a building is energy efficient, comfortable, and compliant with building regulations.

 

“A building with good thermal performance will be more comfortable for occupants and can lead to significant cost savings in the long-term, both in terms of energy bills and overall maintenance costs.

 

“The calculator can also help identify areas of the building where improvements can be made to increase energy efficiency.

 

“The MKM U-Value Calculator has different options for materials which are all available to purchase from MKM, backed up by our experts in branch who will be happy to provide further support.”

 

The Future Homes Standard, which will require new build homes to be future-proofed with low carbon heating and world-leading levels of energy efficiency, will be introduced by 2025.

 

Despite this, Frank says that the UK is lagging behind other countries in terms of its commitment to introducing legislation to proactively improve the eco-friendliness of homes, particularly with regards to retrofit.

 

He said: “The upcoming legislative changes are a start, but we aren’t keeping up with what is being introduced elsewhere.

 

“The true scale of the Future Homes Standard is yet to be seen, so hopefully this can help us to catch up.”

 

The MKM U-Value Calculator can be found at https://uvalue.mkm.com/calculator