Levels of insulation within a building are of key importance, as the better insulated the house, the more efficient and cost-effective to run the heating system will be. At its simplest, the more insulation in a building, the lower its heating bills and the colder the climate, the more important a high standard of insulation becomes.

UK Building Regulations have progressively required higher insulation standards and it is easiest to achieve a high standard of insulation during building or major renovation work.

In practice, even a building insulated to well above the building regulation requirement will always need some level of heating; first, because there has to be some passage of air from the outside to maintain freshness and second, because insulation does not itself create warmth, it simply helps to retain it.

Because the warmth passes into the room from the floor, it is important to prevent downward heat losses into the ground or the floor below. In a new building that meets the regulations, there will always be an adequate level of floor insulation, but if a building is being refurbished it is important to increase the levels of insulation to at least current Building Regulation standard.

What is certain is that the cost of energy will continue to rise. The better the insulation in the property, the better return on the investment.