The Thermal Insulation Contractors Association (TICA) has welcomed the introduction of a British Standard that sets out energy rating classifications for industrial thermal insulation applications.
BS EN 17956:2024 is applicable to technical insulation systems of operational installations in industry and building services.
Using the recognised A to G energy rating system, it specifies methods for the energy classification of insulation systems for components such as pipes, ducts, vessels, and equipment with an operational temperature range of −30°C up to 650°C.
Research undertaken by the European Industrial Insulation Foundation (EiiF) found that the UK could save 1.183 kilotonnes in energy and reduce carbon emissions by 3.480 kilotonnes by improving insulation efficiencies in the industrial sector alone.
The EiiF has also aligned its Technical Insulation Performance Check (TIPCHECK) system with BS EN 17956:2024. The standardised thermal energy auditing tool evaluates the performance of industrial insulation systems and has already helped thousands of clients on the continent reduce both carbon output and energy costs.
As an EiiF member, TICA has access to TIPCHECK, and the trade body is already preparing the UK thermal insulation sector to become a key enabler of industrial decarbonisation.
Chris Ridge, technical director of TICA, said: “Trying to get either the government or industry to recognise the gaping hole that exists in our national Net Zero Strategy deployment, due to uninsulated or badly insulated pipework, has proven challenging.
“Anything that makes the specification of energy saving thermal insulation easier to understand and enact for clients is most welcome. I think the UK thermal insulation market will need to undergo a period of adaptation before the benefits of BS EN 17956: 2024 can be deployed at a national scale, but the conversations with Net Zero policymakers needs to start now.
“At our national training centre, we are already training thermal insulation apprentices on the fundamentals of thermal imaging, so they understand the importance of pipe insulation as a means of reducing energy losses. We are also working with the EiiF to upskill the next generation of UK-based TIPCHECK experts.”
