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Green Building Bible, Fourth Edition
Green Building Bible, fourth edition (both books)
These two books are the perfect starting place to help you get to grips with one of the most vitally important aspects of our society - our homes and living environment.

PLEASE NOTE: A download link for Volume 1 will be sent to you by email and Volume 2 will be sent to you by post as a book.

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    • CommentAuthorThe_Tok-Ra
    • CommentTimeOct 23rd 2008
     
    Hello,

    This is my first post so I'd like to say I big hi to all members!! I have been searching through this site for the last few days & I have found the information provided by the forum members to be most informative & all written in a very friendly & helpfull manner. I look forward to hearing from some of you (I hope) with regards to my new project. I appologise for the length of my post, I have alot to ask!!

    At the moment, my new double garage has not even been built yet, but with work due to start on at least the garage base in a few days time, I think it's about time I started planning ahead.

    A bit of background:-

    The garage I have ordered is a 19' x 20'2" Marley style concrete Apex garage supplied by Compton Buildings. The building will be supplied with concrete/fibre corrugated roof tiles which I assume are the direct replacement for the old asbestos ones that used to be used in marley garage buils somew years ago. As far as I know, no membrane will be supplied & fitted under the roof tiles (which will be supported on metal purlins). I have also asked for 4 perspex? type tiles to be fitted to allow more light into the garage in the summer months.

    I intend to use the garage as a workshop & it will be used regularly summer & winter. Well, that's if I can find an economical way to insulate & heat the building properly!!

    I will be carrying out all the insulation, electrical & heating work myself once the building has been errected.

    Naturally, I want to build in accordance with building standards regs & as "green" as possible, and as cheap as possible too.

    Firstly, I feel I may have made a mistake when asking for 4 of these perspex type roof tiles. They would be great in the summer for letting natural light into the building, but they also have a very large drawback..... Insulation!! Eh????

    Well, if I keep the "see through" tiles, I would have to insulate the building at raffter hight, rather than a ceiling level & that is as big problem since I'll have a cold roof to insulate with very little room for insulation between the raffters, never mind any air gaps that are required to let the roof breath.

    Can anyone advise on how I could possibly go about insulating this type of roof? Obviously, there would be very little point in insulating the walls if all the heat is going out up through the roof anyway. Would Kingspan's Nilvent be a suitable breathable membrane to start with? If so, where do I go from there?

    Thanks in advance

    Regards
    The_Tok-Ra
    • CommentAuthorCWatters
    • CommentTimeOct 24th 2008
     
    A workshop appears to be exempt from Part L (Insulation) of the building regs but not Part P (Electrics)...
    http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/professionals/en/1115314269469.html

    To comply with Part P of the regulations you elther need to get a qualified electrician in to do the work and issue a certificate OR if you DIY you have to make a Building Control Application. If you want to go the DIY + Building Control Application route you should check with your BCO what's required before you start. They might require drawings and they might want you to get a Periodic Inspection Test done by a qualified electrician anyway.

    As for insulation.. You need to avoid condensation occuring on the cold side of the insulation. This is less important for a concrete garage but potentially serious on a timber framed house/roof. The normal method is to ventilate the cold side of the insulation so that any water vapour that does get through from the warm inside can escape. This probably won't be possible with a concrete garage wall so you probably should ensure you do a good job of the vapour barrier on the inside of the insulation. Particularly if you plan to use bottled gas heaters that give off a lot of water vapour.

    Walls - I would probably fit stud work with insulation betwen. Then a vapour barrier (plastic sheet with all the joints taped) and then either OSB or plasterboard. OSB has the advantage that you can easily fix to it without needing to find a stud.

    Roof - If the eaves of the garage are ventilated then I would batten out to create a 50mm ventilated void above the insulation. eg Fit insulation under the battens then vapour barrier and plasterboard.

    If you decide to go for the windows - Before insulating the roof.. Make a wood box frame the same depth as the battens and insulation. Fit below the windows. Fill the gap between the frame and the underside of the roof with the special wavy polystyrene edge insulation you can get from most DIY or builders merchant (I'd be tempted to use two or three side by side to improve the insulation) or better if you are a woodworker you could cut the frame to match the wavy roof and seal any gaps with some expanding foam. Expect some condensation on the roof windows - mastic the frame to the underside of the roof or at least put a bead around where it mates with the roof. Paint the frame to stop water damage. Try and space out the windows so they don't block the ventilation above the insulation.

    How much insulation... To comply with the building regs it would probably need something like 120-150mm of Celotex in the roof.

    Ideally you should get a condensation risk analysis done. This works out the possibility of getting condensation in the structure (nothing to do with condensation inside the building itself).

    You should also consider some ventilation of the room itself. This should be designed to allow moisture to escape to the outside directly without going via the structure. In a house this is done by the trickle vents in the windows. You might need to add something to the door or install a roof vent. The problem with a roof vent will be finding a flashing kit for the corregated roof.
    • CommentAuthorThe_Tok-Ra
    • CommentTimeOct 24th 2008
     
    Hello CWatters,

    The information you have kindly offered will help me a lot!! Thanks very much!! I had know Idea that wavy polystyrene edge insulation was even available.

    I was intending on using Kingspan T10 insulation between studs around the walls but TBH I had thought 50mm would probably do. With only 50mm sheets, would I be wasting my time or would that make a big difference compared to a completely unlined & uninsulated building? 120 - 150mm ? Eeeeek!! That'll cost me!! (Though I expect the savings on heating would be worth the extra outlay) I'm not sure I can afford the extra costs.

    I'll need to go and have a closer look at a display building at my local agent & see how the purlins are formed, from the drawings I have, they look rather thin & I'm not sure how I could actually attach battens to them. LOL!!

    I'm tempted to not bother with the roof windows, they may be more trouble than they are worth, but your recommendations regarding insulating around them & sealing around them are great.

    I should also have mentioned that I'm in Scotland, do you know is the same regs apply here?

    If I could afford it, I'd get a man in to do all the work but since funds are V tight, I will need to do all the work myself. Thankfully, I have a mate who's an electrician & he will come & check it all out for me etc.

    Thanks again!!

    Best regards
    The_Tok-Ra
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