How to design and build a new home in 2021 which stays cool in UK summers (case study)

External shading blinds incorporated into windows to keep home cool in summer - Heat, Space and Light Ltd 2021

The top-ten warmest years in the UK have all occurred since 2002 according to the Royal Meteorological Society. And as homes are increasingly built to high levels of thermal efficiency for our cold winters, the risk of new build homes overheating in summer is massive – if not designed with overheating mitigation in mind. We … Read more

Early construction forensic air pressure test improves new building’s fabric air permeability by 50%

Forensic Airtightness Testing and Strategy by Heat, Space and Light Ltd has helped a new build home in Dorset achieve a drop in its final airtightness rate that will result in £100s of heating savings every year, turning it from a leaky home to an airtight home. Forensic air testing improves Air Permeability from 6.4 … Read more

90mm semi-rigid radial MVHR ducting installation in London deep energy retrofit

90mm semi-rigid ducting in webbed joists and passing through core-drilled blockwork wall for MVHR system

The first fix MVHR installation of a 90mm radial ducted Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) system continues. Designed and supplied by Heat, Space and Light Ltd and installed by our recommended third party installers, the MVHR system forms part of the low energy retrofit of a 340m2 Georgian home in Finchley, London N2. The … Read more

Flat 51mm ducting MVHR system installation in low ceiling building

Flat 51mm semi-rigid ducting running pinned neatly to ceiling joists to prevent loss of room height

The Heat, Space and Light team has designed and supplied a flat 51mm semi-rigid ducting MVHR system for a basement home in London, in order not to lose any room height. The ducting measures a mere 51mm in height, is crush-proof and has smooth and anti-bacterial lining within the duct. Installed by our trusted installers … Read more

High performance MVHR upgrade to improve home comfort

Old MVHR unit before replacement in the loft

Heat, Space and Light Ltd has replaced and re-commissioned an under-performing MVHR unit with a brand new 91% efficient Zehnder MVHR in a self-built eco home in Glastonbury, Somerset. The old MVHR was a weak link in an otherwise exceptionally high performance, energy efficient home. The new MVHR unit now features Automatic Summer Bypass, important … Read more

Cheap MVHR or expensive MVHR? The science behind Heat Exchanger Efficiency

Building dust is visible inside the heat exchanger as the filter doesn't fit properly - this will damage the heat exchanger

A Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery (MVHR) unit is a cornerstone of a low energy home with healthy indoor air. There are a lot of MVHRs on the market, and one way to compare between another is to look at its Heat Exchanger Efficiency score. Today I’ll explain what to watch for when comparing a cheap … Read more

MVHR compatibility with underfloor heating, air conditioning, heat pumps and cooker hoods

This article will explain MVHR’s compatibility with other mechanical services within the home such as underfloor heating, air conditioning, heat pumps and cooker hoods. An MVHR system is a future-facing home technology that will help achieve the UK’s low carbon climate change goals, so it’s important that it works well. MVHR and underfloor heating An … Read more

Forensic airtightness test gives 30% lifetime heating bill savings

Airtightness Test Kit mounted in hallway of London retrofit 2021

Heat, Space and Light Ltd technicians have conducted forensic airtightness testing on a renovated London Victorian end-of-terrace. The results of the four-hour visit will have improved its comfort, energy efficiency and acoustics by up to 30 per cent, and lowered the home’s heating bills for life. The forensic airtightness pressure test was conducted over four … Read more

MVHR retrofit design and installation in a 100-year old cottage

Loft-fitted Zehnder Q350 MVHR with pre-heater by Heatspaceandlight.com

We have completed the design and first fix installation of a Zehnder Q350 MVHR system with ComfoTube ducting into a 100-year-old cottage that’s undergoing a low energy retrofit upgrade. The MVHR system will improve the indoor air quality, comfort and energy efficiency, but also protect the century-old building fabric by ensuring indoor humidity is dealt … Read more

Cotswold new build is 55x more airtight than Building Regs and 3x more airtight than Passivhaus

It is subtle and understated in its impact on UK housing, but this new build bungalow home is one of the most energy efficient buildings in the world – and represents the future of housebuilding in the UK and Europe. We pressure tested the home this December using a calibrated airtightness testing fan and it … Read more