Global warming, climate crisis, lower heating bills, clean air so we can all enjoy the great outdoors…

What is your motivation for embracing sustainability?

On the one hand, it doesn’t really matter what motivates you; if you’re focused on sustainability, you’re always headed in the right direction!
On the other, looking at the financial aspects, it is worth considering maximum impact and fast or slow returns on investment.

Let’s cover the highlights:
1) Insulation
2) Solar panels
3) Electric car
4) Heat pump and other systems

1. Insulation, insulation, insulation!

The first priority is simple: budget as much you can for insulation. If you want a net-zero house that achieves maximum energy efficiency, insulation is key. Insulation is the foundational principle behind net-zero construction. As long as some elements in the house are not yet fully insulated, there’s not much point in moving forward with the rest.

Types of insulation:
A) Window insulation (double and triple glazing)
B) Roof insulation
C) Floor insulation
D) Wall & cavity insulation

A. Window insulation

It’s all about preventing heat loss, and that means boosting thermal resistance (R). Single glazing has an R value of 5.8. Double glazing (HR++) has an R value of 1.2, while adding another layer (HR+++) achieves an R value of 0.5.

Double glazing is not too expensive, and pays for itself within a few years. It also blocks out more noise than single glazing. Basically, anything less than double glazing is no longer cost-effective.

HR+++ can be achieved in several ways. The easiest is triple glazing. That means installing three panes of glass instead of two. But adding that third pane does have some less positive side effects. Triple glazing offers less acoustic dampening, is more reflective, and forms condensation in humid weather. Still, it is possible to achieve R=0.5 even with double glazing. This is usually done by adding a vacuum seal between the panes.

B. Roof insulation

Sometimes the roof is already insulated, but occasionally it hasn’t been done yet. All the work that GRIDON does is obviously accompanied by maximum roof insulation for the extension, addition, outbuilding or roof extension.

Your roof can be insulated with glass wool, rock wool, polystyrene (XPS), or other foam insulation boards. We will select the best option for you, depending on the situation.

External roof insulation is also an option, and a natural method are available: a green roof (such as a sedum roof) covered in moss and other vegetation, which keeps the house warm in winter and cool in summer.

C. Floor insulation

Ground frost is a perfect illustration of the problem we want to prevent. The ground is cold, because warmer air rises, while cold air sinks and settles into the soil. The surface of the planet provides excellent cold storage. When snow collects in a deep pit, it can stay frozen until July

Traditionally, older homes with wooden floors did not have any insulation in the crawl space beneath the house. Modern houses with a concrete floor often do. Even so, it’s worth checking to make sure the floor insulation is optimal. In zero-energy houses, the floor receives a lot of time, attention, money and effort! In many cases, the floor is airtight to prevent all forms of cold transfer.

D. Wall & cavity insulation

This seems like a no-brainer. Traditionally, Dutch houses have cavity walls with a layer of air in between. Not a bad system as such, and well suited to the damp climate of the Netherlands. But insulating the walls does improve energy efficiency.

2. Solar panels

Solar panels are a solid investment that is guaranteed to pay for itself in 8 years. However, since solar panels are in continuous development, they improve about 5% each year. In other words, capacity doubles every 14 years.

Solar panels have a lifetime of 25-30 years… but there’s a decent chance that you will want to sell them on the second-hand market in 15 years. After all, by that time you have earned them back and then some, and also enjoyed 7 years of free electricity. At that point, you will want to buy new solar panels that offer twice the capacity of your original models. Like second-hand cars, second-hand solar panels are expected to be in high demand.

3. Electric car

More details coming! Watch this space.

4. Heat pump and other systems

More details coming! Watch this space.