1. Insulating Houses

2. Bell Work
Energy saving in the home word search

3. Prepare to learn
Feedback from homework, what did you find out? Think, pair share

4. Lesson Objectives
Be able to apply knowledge gained about insulators to design test and make your own insulated house
Complete a scientific investigation to test a design, and show your results in an appropriate way
Understand what a U value is and state how they can be used when insulating buildings

5. U Values
The U-value measures how well a building component, e.g. a wall, roof or a window, keeps heat inside a building. For those living in a warm climate the U-value is also relevant as it is an indicator of how long the inside of the building can be kept cold. It is a measure of the heat flow through a building element ie walls.
The higher the U-value the more heat flows through so a good U-value is a low one as you want to keep heat inside the building or outside depending on the climate you live in.

6. Examples of U Values

7. Mini Review
Which material will have the highest u value? Show green cards for a and red cards for b.
Double Glazing
Single Glazing
If you said single glazing (a) you are correct!

8. Copy this table into your books
Type of Insulation
Type of heat transfer prevented
Curtains
Cavity Wall Insulation
Double Glazing
Loft Insulation
Foil
Draught Excluders

9. Curtains reduce draughts (convection currents) leaving the house
Curtains reduce draughts (convection currents) leaving the house. They are opaque and so don’t allow much radiated heat to pass through them. 9

10. This reduces heat loss by conduction through the bricks.
Most outside walls have an empty space between the two layers of bricks called a cavity.
This reduces heat loss by conduction through the bricks.
Cavity wall foam insulation is pumped in between the bricks to prevent convection within the cavity.
convection currents in cavity
foam prevents convection currents 10

11. A great deal of energy is lost through windows.
By adding an extra pane, the trapped air in between acts as an insulator to reduce heat loss by conduction.
The insulating effect of the gap can be improved further by sucking all the air out to create a vacuum.
Double glazing is expensive and difficult to smash without a special hammer. 11

12. The air heated by central heating is less dense than the cooler air around it and rises.
The ceilings becomes heated and eventually the heat escapes through the roof.
Loft insulation contains trapped air, which forms an insulating layer between the rooms and the loft. 12

13. Radiators heat the wall a great deal – this wastes heat energy.
Placing shiny silver-coated card between the wall and the radiator reduces heat loss by radiation by reflecting it back into the room. 13

14. Draughts are convection currents.
A great deal of heat energy is lost in this way but it is the easiest type to prevent.
Draught excluders are hairy or spongy strips that close gaps and prevent the convection currents escaping. 14

15. Mini Review 15

16. Construct
You are going to create your own building to insulate. Use the task sheet to help you design your house

17. Apply Knowledge
Make your house using the insulating materials provided. You will then be testing their effectiveness!

18. Plenary
Write a paragraph describing everything you have learned this lesson. Use the peer mark scheme to mark your answer