Get the best energy efficiency from your suspended ceilings
It’s generally true that installing new suspended ceilings can dramatically reduce your building’s heating and cooling bills. By lowering the height of your ceiling, you’re essentially preventing heat from rising up and filling the cavity before escaping to the outside air. A false ceiling keeps the heat down where you need it the most — where your employees, students, or clients are.
Still, there are a number of things to consider (and control) before you can make this a reality. Keep an eye on the points in this list to ensure you’re maximising your energy efficiency.
1. Evaluate the impact it will have on energy consumption
If you have a goal in mind for your energy efficiency, it can be helpful to try to measure the impact that your false ceiling will have on energy consumption. To do this, you’ll need to examine the distance between the suspended ceiling and the roof or ceiling above.
Alongside this, it’s worth considering the insulation values for the space created by your suspended ceilings. This information will give your suspended ceiling fitter an idea of the benefits a suspended ceiling could bring to a building.
And if you decide on installing a false ceiling… there’s something else to consider.
Ensure you’re making an informed decision about the materials you’ll be using in your suspended ceiling. If cutting back on your energy consumption is your top priority, you’ll want to choose the most insulative materials, design, and components possible. While most false ceilings will provide some insulative benefit, they are not all created equal.
Do your research and make the most of the expertise you have on hand. Chat to our knowledgeable team at SLP for more guidance — we’re always happy to help.
2. How is that cavity space used?
How your cavity space is used can impact the difference your suspended ceilings make to your building’s energy efficiency.
Ventilation and air conditioning equipment can increase air movement and increase the rate that heat is lost from your building. If you have a ventilated cavity space, this might be impacting your energy efficiency. And if you don’t have a very well-insulated cavity space, this could lead to further heat loss.
Chat with us about any concerns you have about your cavity space. We can help you come up with a plan for your cavity space that ensure it’s improving your energy efficiency yet still providing your building with the ventilation it needs.
3. Will it reduce the heat in that space?
If your suspended ceilings are installed between floors with similar temperatures, the insulation isn’t something you need to think about. The same can be said of subterranean rooms with suspended ceilings. Gloucester businesses typically heat these, in part, using the space above. By insulating the surface of your suspended ceiling, you could actually reduce heat flow to that area.
While insulation installed in suspended ceilings does reduce your building’s heat loss, it’s important never to underestimate the value of free air movement. For more advice on your upcoming project, just ask a member of our highly experienced team.
SLP Interiors: your suspended ceiling fitter
SLP Interiors offers office fit-outs, full commercial or retail fit-outs of suspended ceilings, solid/glazed partitions, dry lining and plastering. If you’re looking for an experienced suspended ceiling fitter, please call us on 0117 2140852 or email us at info@slp.upugo.com to discuss your project with us.
If you have any further questions about energy efficiency and suspended ceilings, don’t hesitate to get in touch for a chat.
