Concern & action: Maintenance interval and complexity
Measure requires maintenance (such as cleaning or technical fine tuning) at regular intervals by expert user or technical person, in order to continue to operate effectively. Clarity of requirements is needed as failure to carry out the maintenance can cause poor air quality leading to ill health or innefficient operation leading to excess energy use.
Suggested actions
Before Implementation
Establish need for maintenance of fabric and services at regular intervals. Establish routine checking requirements (e.g. checks on external condition, pointing, roof, rainwater goods to avoid moisture penetrating walls and/or walls becoming too wet). Consider use of third party contractor to undertake regular maintenance and define need to use appropriately qualified maintenance team for specialist services to carry out checks at defined intervals. Consider \'early warning\' monitoring system to alert building owner to possibility of maintenance failures.
During implementation
Provide clear and specific information on what maintenance is required, when it is required and who can carry out the maintenance, together with clear advice on how to do the maintenance if the user is expected to do it. E.g. YouTube video. Consider providing the information sequentially (no all just at handover).
After implementation
Check maintenance is being carried out at required regular intervals by the person(s) appropriately qualified for the task. If the user is carrying out maintance, discuss any problems or issues arising and clarify any doubts on the procedure.
RELATED MEASURES
FABRIC (2)
SERVICES (18)
Ground/Water source heat pumps
Biomass boilers
Biomass stove with back boiler
Flue gas heat recovery devices
Solar water heating
Waste water heat recovery devices for showers
Communal heat generating system
Micro combined heat and power
High efficiency replacement warm-air units
Heating controls (for wet and warm air systems)
Wet Under-floor heating
Communal Heat Distribution System and controls
Lighting system upgrade
Continuous mechanical extract ventilation
Continuous mechanical supply and extract ventilation with heat recovery
Continuous mechanical extract ventilation with demand control ventilation
Continuous mechanical supply and extract ventilation with heat recovery and with demand control ventilation
BEHAVIOUR (1)
RELATED REFERENCES (8)
Energy efficiency And Historic Buildings: Open fires, chimneys and flues (2012)
English Heritage
Tech Paper 6 - Indoor Air Quality and Energy Efficiency in Traditional Buildings (2009)
Halliday, S., (Gaia Research)
Energy Efficiency In Historic Buildings - Draught-proofing windows and doors (2010)
English Heritage
Energy Efficiency In Historic Buildings -Secondary glazing for windows (2010)
English Heritage
The usability of control interfaces in low-carbon housing, Architectural Science Review, 56:1, 70-82 ( 2013)
Stevenson F, Carmona-Andreu I and Hancock M
Energy Heritage: A guide to improving energy efficiency in traditional and historic homes (2008)
Changeworks
Renewable Heritage: A guide to microgeneration in traditional and historic homes (2009)
Changeworks