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Thesis Title: Evaluating the in-situ thermal performance of loft insulation in occupied dwellings: determination of U-values and opportunities for minimising heat loss.
Primary Supervisor: Cliff Elwell
Secondary supervisor: Robert Lowe
Start date: September 2017
Completion date: September 2020
Sponsor: BBA (British Board of Agrément)
This project investigates the thermal performance of the insulation in cold-pitched roofs of standard construction using a combination of in-situ monitoring, visual inspection and infrared thermographic surveys.
Estimated U-values based on measured heat flux and temperature data are compared against predicted U-values based on standard assumptions about the thermal conductivity of the installed building materials to determine whether or not the expected energy and cost savings associated with loft insulation are realised in occupied dwellings where the condition and extent of loft insulation coverage can vary.
The project also seeks to characterise the effects of solar gains and ventilation in roofs and test the validity of a statistical-based dynamic method for the estimation of the thermophysical properties of building elements using in-situ measurements.
- Biography
Suneina holds an MRes in Energy Demand Studies from the UCL Energy Institute, an MScR in Civil Engineering, Architecture and Building from Coventry University, and an MEng in Civil Engineering from the University of Bristol.
Suneina is currently a member of the Physical Characteristics of Buildings research group and the London-Loughborough Centre for Doctoral Training.
