U- VALUES

U-Values
- U-values refer to how well building materials conduct
heat.

- The U-value is a measurement of the amount of heat

lost from a material.

- The U-value is:

“The heat transfer of 1 Kelvin through 1m2 of a
building material”

THE U VALUE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrsS90qD4uE

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 U-Values
- U-values refer to how well building materials conduct
heat.

- The U-value is a measurement of the amount of heat

lost from a material.

- The U-value is:

“The heat transfer of 1 Kelvin through 1m2 of a
building material”

Or

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 W = Watt (unit of power)
m = meter
Kº = Kelvin degree (unit
of temperature)

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• The lower the U-value, the less heat is lost through the
building materials.

• U-values vary according to the following factors:

– The materials used in the building
– The building’s location
– The temperature difference between outside and
inside

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 Building Element Values
Building regulations set out the maximum U-values for each element of
the building. The current values according to Spanish regulations
(CTE-DB-HE) are established depending on the climatic zone.
For San Sebastian, zone D1, they can be seen in the table below:

- Walls and floors in contact with external air: 0.41 W/m²K

- Roofs (in contact with air): 0.35 W/m²K
- Walls, roofs and floors in contact with non liveable
spaces or with the ground.
Neighbouring walls or interior walls belongings to
the thermal envelop : 0.65 W/m²K
- Openings (windows and rooflights) 1.80 W/m²K
- Doors with a 50 % of transparent surface
or greater 5.70 W/m²K

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 Building Element Values
These are the limit U values according to the Spanish regulation: CTE:
DB-HE1 (2013)

I. RODRIGUEZ CONSTRUCTION II 3rd YEAR 2023-24 School Year EHU / UPV

 Building Element Values
These are the limit U values according to the Spanish regulation: CTE:
DB-HE1 (2013)

I. RODRIGUEZ CONSTRUCTION II 3rd YEAR 2023-24 School Year EHU / UPV

 According to the country the values can vary because they are based
in the climate.
For England and Ireland the following values are considered in the
current regulations:

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 Building Energy Rating (BER)

• BER gives an assessment of the efficiency of the home.

• It considers:
– The energy used by the building
– The CO2 output of the building

• It is expressed as primary energy use per unit of floor

area per year

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 • Energy ratings are
scaled between A-G.
• Every house sold or
rented must have a
BER.
• BER certification lasts
for 10 years.

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U-Value Calculations

• Each material has a different U-value. This should be

supplied by the manufacturer.

• They are collected together in a table of thermal

conductivity.

• When calculating the U-value of a building element such

as a wall, the total thermal resistance of each material are
added together.

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-Terminology for Calculations

* In Spanish bibliography k = λ(lambda)

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U-Value Calculations:
01_Example:

Calculate the U-value of an uninsulated external solid concrete wall of a

dwelling house build in 1950s given the following data:

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I. RODRIGUEZ CONSTRUCTION II 3rd YEAR 2023-24 School Year EHU / UPV
1.Draw the table as below:

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2. Fill in the resistance values.

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3. Add the total resistance.

Find RT by adding
all values in the
resistance column.

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 1
•U-value is found by getting
RT

•U-value = 1.8 W/m2K

•This does not fit with modern building regulations.

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- Increasing U-Value

• By including a cavity in
the wall you can increase
the thermal efficacy of the
wall.

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U-Value Calculations:
02_Example:

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I. RODRIGUEZ CONSTRUCTION II 3rd YEAR 2023-24 School Year EHU / UPV
1.Draw the table as below:

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2. Fill in the resistance values.

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3. Add the total resistance.

Find RT by adding
all values in the
resistance column.

RT = 5.578
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 1
•U-value is found by getting
RT

•U-value = 0.18 W/m2K

•This does fit with modern building regulations.

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• We have to consider the external surface resistance (Res)
and the internal surface resistance (Ris).
•This data are established and are different depending on the
position of the constructive element and the heat flow.

- For façade walls (horizontal thermal transmission):

Res = 0.04 Km²/W
Ris = 0.13 Km²/W

- For roofs (vertical thermal transmission, upwards):

Res = 0.04 Km²/W
Ris = 0.10 Km²/W

- For floors (vertical thermal transmission, downwards):

Res = 0.04 Km²/W
Ris = 0.10 Km²/W
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• When we have an interior wall or partition (horizontal or
vertical ) we have to consider also the external surface
resistance (Res) and the internal surface resistance (Ris).
- For vertical partitions (horizontal thermal transmission):
Res = 0.13 Km²/W
Ris = 0.13 Km²/W

- For horizontal partitions (vertical thermal transmission,

upwards):
Res = 0.10 Km²/W
Ris = 0.10 Km²/W

- For horizontal partitions (vertical thermal transmission,

upwards):
Res = 0.17 Km²/W
Ris = 0.17 Km²/W
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U-Value Calculations:
03_Example:

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INSULATION MATERIALS:

•Extruded polystyrene insulation board (XPS)

•Expanded polystyrene insulation board(EPS)

•+ graphite

•Polyurethane

•Mineral wool

STRAW
0,052 W/mk
•Straw

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 INSULATION MATERIALS:

- Seep´s wool: 0,050 W/ m k

- Glass fibre: 0,038 W/ m k

- Cellular glass: 0,041 W/ m k

- Cellulose: 0,040 W/ m k

- Wooden fibre: 0,040 W/ m k

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 - Cork: 0,040 W/ m k

- Linen wool: 0,037 W/ m k

- Vacupor: 0,005 W/ m k
This is a micro porous insulation material
vacuum - confined in an aluminium sheet.
It has a very good insulating performance.

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 PASSIVHAUS STANDARD
Suggested Transmittances:

-ROOF ≤ 0.15 W / (m²K)

-FAÇADES ≤ 0.15 W / (m²K)
-FOUNDATIONS ≤ 0.25 W / (m²K)
-WINDOW ≤ 0.85 W / (m²K) (installed)

https://passivehouse-international.org/index.php?page_id=80

https://passiv.de/en/02_informations/02_passive-house-requirements/02_passive-house-requirements.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CasrjYhZB1M

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