Commercial buildings can lose a significant amount of heat through poorly insulated walls, roofs and other parts of the building fabric.
For offices, warehouses, schools, hospitals, universities, industrial units and other non-domestic properties, improving insulation can help reduce energy use, improve internal comfort and support the performance of the building’s heating system.
At Arrow Energy Solutions, we work with commercial clients, property managers, contractors and public-sector organisations to assess existing insulation and provide appropriate insulation solutions for a wide range of building types.
Commercial buildings often have very different heating demands from domestic properties.
Large floor areas, high ceilings, frequent door openings, extended operating hours and different occupancy levels can all increase heat loss and energy demand.
Where the building fabric performs poorly, heating systems have to work harder to maintain a comfortable temperature.
Improving insulation can help by reducing the amount of heat escaping through the building.
Benefits can include:
Lower heat loss
Improved internal comfort
More consistent room temperatures
Reduced energy demand
Lower running costs
Improved overall building efficiency
External walls can account for a substantial proportion of heat loss in many buildings.
Where suitable cavities exist, cavity wall insulation can provide a highly effective method of improving thermal performance without significantly altering the appearance of the property.
However, commercial buildings vary considerably in construction.
Before insulation is installed, the wall type, cavity condition and existing insulation should be properly assessed.
This may involve:
External inspection
Borescope cavity investigation
Checking existing insulation
Identifying obstructions or debris
Assessing exposure and building condition
Confirming whether the construction is suitable for the proposed system
Heat naturally rises, making roofs and loft spaces another important area to consider.
Where accessible loft spaces exist, increasing insulation can often provide a relatively straightforward improvement.
Commercial roof structures may be more complicated than domestic roofs, so the construction and ventilation requirements should always be considered before work begins.
Warehouses, factories and industrial buildings can be particularly challenging to heat.
Large internal volumes and frequent opening of loading doors can result in significant heat loss.
Improving the thermal performance of the building fabric can help stabilise internal temperatures and reduce the demand placed on heating systems.
Different sections of the same building may also require different solutions.
Poor insulation can create uncomfortable working environments.
Cold walls, draughts and uneven temperatures can result in some parts of the building feeling noticeably colder than others.
Improving insulation can help create a more consistent internal environment and reduce cold spots.
This can be particularly important in:
Offices
Schools
Universities
Healthcare buildings
Residential blocks
Public buildings
Not every commercial building is completely uninsulated.
Some properties may already contain cavity wall insulation or other insulation materials.
That insulation may be performing correctly, or it may be incomplete, damaged, contaminated or unsuitable.
Before recommending new work, it can be useful to establish what is already present.
A specialist survey can help identify:
Existing insulation type
Areas with missing insulation
Uneven distribution
Damp or contaminated material
Previous installation defects
Areas requiring remedial work
Where existing cavity wall insulation is defective or preventing other remedial works, extraction may be necessary.
Arrow Energy Solutions provides specialist cavity wall insulation extraction for commercial and larger residential properties.
Once the cavity has been cleared, underlying defects can be addressed before any replacement insulation is considered.
There is no single insulation solution that is suitable for every commercial building.
The correct approach depends upon the construction, use, condition and exposure of the property.
The first step should therefore be to understand how the building is constructed and how it is currently performing.
Arrow Energy Solutions has experience working on a wide variety of commercial buildings including:
Universities
Hospitals
Schools
Offices
Factories
Warehouses
Housing blocks
Public-sector buildings
Our services include cavity wall surveys, borescope inspections, insulation extraction, cavity wall insulation and loft insulation.
Whether the requirement is a single building or a larger programme of works, our objective is to provide a professional, properly assessed and appropriate insulation solution.