Common Issue in Double Story Homes Revealed

Episode 4 - Double-storey homes present unique challenges concerning the continuity of air and thermal barriers, specifically between floors. This intervening floor hampers a home’s energy efficiency for two main reasons.
Firstly, an air barrier is a material designed to control airflow between conditioned and unconditioned spaces. It greatly reduces energy consumption and improves comfort. However, in a double-story home, the floor between two levels often acts as a discontinuity in the air barrier. This can lead to unconditioned air being drawn up into the conditioned spaces of the home, or heated or cooled air being lost to unconditioned spaces, reducing the overall effectiveness of the heating or cooling systems.
Secondly, the thermal barrier is critical for reducing the rate of heat transfer. However, the under-insulated or uninsulated flooring often found between floors of double-storey houses forms a thermal bridge, which can accelerate heat loss or gain. This results in inconsistent temperatures from one floor to another and wastes energy, which is not ideal when considering energy efficiency.
Careful attention to comprehensive design and meticulous execution during construction can help minimize these issues, but it remains a pertinent concern in double-story homes.

Playlist of first 3 videos produced in collaboration with Sustainability Victoria
   • Sustainability Victoria Construction Stage...  

https://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au...

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