Room Detail Page
Use this as a guide to entering data on the individual Room Detail pages.
A room must be created for each heated space within the property. Rooms are considered heated (or conditioned) if they have a radiator or other heat emitter or are indirectly heated by other rooms (e.g. landings and hallways).
Walls, floors and ceilings/roofs should be added to a room for all internal, external and party surfaces. This allows the room heat loss to be determined for emitter sizing, as well as the overall building envelope area and volume to be calculate accurately.
The dimensions entered must match the [dimension specification] that was defined when the property was created.
Walls
When creating a wall, you are required to specify the adjacent space type, wall type and either a total area or width/height. In the case of internal walls, you also need to define which room is the other side of the wall so the temperature difference is known.
Areas
Wall areas should be entered for the entire wall surface, including any doors and windows.
The calculator will automatically subtract the areas of any doors and windows to determine the net area of the wall for heat loss.
| Adjacent Space | Description |
|---|---|
| Exterior | Walls that separates the room from the outside |
| Heated Room | Walls that partitions the room from another heated room/space within the same dwelling |
| Unheated Space | Walls that partitions the room from an unheated room/space within the same dwelling |
| Neighbouring Building | Party walls that separates the room from a neighbouring property |
| Ground (basement wall) | Basement wall that separates the room from the ground |
The available wall types to select from will depend on the adjacent space type that was selected.
Door and windows
Door and windows can be added as sub elements of a wall. They will share the same adjacent space type.
Glazed Doors
When a door contains more than 60% glazing, it should be added as a window type to produce an accurate U-value.
However a window with less than 60% glazing is not a door; a door always provides a means of entry to the property.
Floors
When creating a floor, you are required to specify the adjacent space type, floor type and either a total area or width/length. In the case of internal floors, you also need to define which room is below so the temperature difference is known.
| Adjacent Space | Description |
|---|---|
| Ground (solid) | Ground floors that are solid construction with no void underneath (e.g. solid concrete) |
| Ground (suspended floor) | Ground floors that are suspended (e.g. timber, chipboard or beam & block) |
| Heated Room | Floors that separates the room from another heated room/space within the same dwelling |
| Unheated Space | Floors that separates the room from an unheated room/space within the same dwelling |
| Exterior Air (flying freehold) | Floors that separates the room from the outside air (e.g. flying freehold) |
The available floors types to select from will depend on the adjacent space type that was selected.
Ceilings/Roofs
When creating a ceiling/roof, you are required to specify the adjacent space type, ceiling type and either a total area or width/length. In the case of internal ceilings, you also need to define which room is above so the temperature difference is known.
When a unheated adjacent space is selected, an unheated space category must also be selected to determine the correct temperature difference to use.
| Adjacent Space | Description |
|---|---|
| Heated Room | Ceilings that separates the room from another heated room within the same dwelling |
| Loft / Unheated Space | Ceilings that separates the room from an unheated space within the same dwelling |
| Exterior (no loft / roof void) | Sloping ceilings or flat roofs that separate the room directly from the outside air |
The available ceilings types to select from will depend on the adjacent space type that was selected.
Lofts
The roof of most houses would normally contain a loft (regardless of whether it is accessible or not). These ceilings should be entered as having an adjacent space type of "Loft / Unheated Space" instead of "Exterior".
Roof windows
For flat roofs or sloped/vaulted ceilings that form a warm roof, you can also add roof windows as sub elements.
Sloping Ceilings
Sloped and vaulted ceilings can prove tricky to measure. To enable the correct area to be calculated, ensure the lengths entered are measured parallel to the slope of the surface.
Refer to [best practices] for more information.
Ventilation
Internal air volume
When using Net Internal or Gross Internal dimensions, the internal air volume should already be estimated based on the ceiling areas and wall length entered. But it can be overridden if it is incorrect or the room is an unusual shape.
However, when using Gross External dimensions, the internal air volume must be worked out and entered manually.
Ventilation devices
Any intermittent extract fans, chimneys, flues or other ventilation devices should be listed against the room.
Each type of ventilation device will have a pre-defined flow rate (in m³/h). If the design flow rate of the device is known, you can override the pre-defined flow rate.
Cooker Hoods
Where a kitchen contains a cooker hood, it should be added as an intermittent extract fan ONLY if it vents directly to outside.
Recirculating type cooker hoods would not be considered a ventilation device and can be ignored.