The National Construction Code requires new constructions in Australia to achieve a minimum of 6 Stars to be deemed energy efficient. The 6 Star Standard relates to the thermal performance of a home and represents the baseline for any new construction to achieve a high level of thermal energy performance.
However, existing homeowners find it a challenge to make their homes more energy efficient to meet this 6 Star Standard.
Leading Australian manufacturer of high quality expanded and extruded polystyrene, Foamex Group recommends polystyrene for retrofitting an existing home to be able to achieve the thermal performance levels of new houses, and become 6-star energy rating compliant.
Studies indicate that heating and cooling systems can account for more than 40 per cent of a household's annual energy consumption, significantly impacting the home’s energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. A properly insulated home allows the resident to cool or heat the interior to a comfortable temperature, turn off the heating or cooling appliance, and maintain that temperature by preventing the air from leaking out.
Building insulation is the most cost-effective way for households to significantly reduce the global warming effect of greenhouses gases by drastically reducing their CO2 emissions while also substantially saving on their energy bills.
Considered the most cost-effective insulation solution, polystyrene has high energy efficiency potential, can mitigate climate-changing CO2 emissions, offers natural insulation against temperature and noise, stops heat from entering the home, and also regulates the temperature inside the home by not allowing the heated or cooled air to escape.
Polystyrene building panels increase insulation
Sustainable insulation should be integrated into building projects at an early stage, ensuring solutions are durable and energy efficient. The use of foam insulation panels in new builds or renovations will minimise reliance on power-hungry cooling and heating devices, reducing household carbon emissions as well as energy bills.
Underfloor insulation can reduce the cost of heating or cooling
Foamex also recommends the use of underfloor insulation to draught-proof the home, reduce the impact of environmental elements, and increase the home’s energy efficiency.
Expol underfloor insulation is the ideal way to insulate and draught-proof a home with the polystyrene insulation panels placed snugly between the floor joists to ensure a continuous insulated floor with no gaps for draughts to slip through. Expol underfloor insulation panels protect the home from the extreme outside temperatures, reducing energy consumption and energy bills in all seasons.
