Conservatory Fabric Report

Dgali, Mohamed; Fitton, Richard; Henshaw, Grant

Abstract

This report presents the findings of a study investigating the fabric performance of a typical conservatory, with a focus on how different ceiling configurations impact thermal efficiency. The study evaluated the performance of four distinct ceiling scenarios:
• Scenario 1: Glass Ceiling.
• Scenario 2: Polycarbonate Ceiling.
• Scenario 3: Polycarbonate Ceiling with C.H.R.I.S. System.
• Scenario 4: Glass Ceiling with C.H.R.I.S. System.

For each scenario, the following measurements were carried out:
• Heat Transfer Coefficient (HTC).
• U-value.
• Airtightness.
• Thermographic survey.

The investigation revealed that installing the C.H.R.I.S. system reduced the Heat Transfer Coefficient (HTC) of the conservatory by 30.8% and 28.8% for the Glass and Polycarbonate ceilings, respectively.

Further, in terms of U-value, uninsulated Polycarbonate outperformed uninsulated Glass in terms of ceiling U-value. The addition of the C.H.R.I.S. System significantly improved ceiling U-values, with similar results for both configurations. In percentage terms, from each base case, the percentage reduction was 79% for Glass and 82% for Polycarbonate.
Airtightness testing identified areas
of air leakage, which were confirmed by the thermographic survey. These tests highlighted specific areas within the conservatory’s fabric, such as around the ceiling, the insulation around the main door, and the floor, where potential heat loss and air leakage were evident.

Overall, the ceiling insulation proved effective in enhancing the energy efficiency and thermal performance of the conservatory, demonstrating its potential as a valuable solution for improving the building's fabric performance.

Citation

Dgali, M., Fitton, R., & Henshaw, G. (2024). Conservatory Fabric Report. UKRI Innovate UK

• Report Type: Research Report
• Online Publication Date: Nov 11, 2024
• Publication Date: Oct 1, 2024
• Deposit Date: Nov 11, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 13, 2024
• Pages: 42