Types of walls 1

Types of walls 1

RdSAP wall categories:• ​

  • Cavity​
  • Solid brick ​
  • Timber framed ​
  • System built​
  • Sandstone
  • Granite or whinstone​
  • Cob​
  • Park home wall

When making an assessment on the wall type consider:

The wall thickness

Age of the property

Is insulation present? From new or retro-fitted. Look for drill holes.

Cavity Wall

A cavity wall is a type of wall construction that consists of two separate layers (or “skins”) of brick or blockwork with a hollow gap (cavity) between them. This cavity helps to prevent moisture from passing through the wall and allows for insulation to be added, which improves the building’s thermal efficiency and energy performance.

Solid brick wall (English bond)

A solid brick wall in English bond is a type of wall construction where bricks are laid in alternating courses of headers (short side of the brick) and stretchers (long side of the brick). This method creates a strong, solid wall without a cavity.

Old timber frame
An old timber frame wall is a construction method where a wooden framework forms the structural support of the building, typically with wattle and daub, brick infill, or plaster covering the timber. These older walls often have little to no insulation, leading to poor thermal performance.

Newer timber frame

A timber frame wall is a type of construction where a wooden framework supports the building’s structure, with insulation placed between the timber studs and an external cladding (such as brick or siding) covering it. For an EPC assessment, it’s important to know if a wall is timber-framed because these walls can vary in insulation quality. Properly insulated timber frame walls can be very energy-efficient, contributing positively to the EPC rating.

System built

A system-built wall refers to a construction method using prefabricated panels or modules, often made from materials like concrete, steel, or timber, which are assembled on-site. These walls are common in post-war buildings and can vary widely in their insulation and thermal performance. All that is required of the energy assessor is that he or she determines simply that the walls are:

•”as built” or have been insulated retrospectively, or

•system-built

Stone walls

A stone wall construction involves building walls using natural stone, typically without any cavity, making them solid and often quite thick. These walls are common in older buildings and have poor insulation properties, leading to significant heat loss. For RdSAP, there are two categories:

• Granite/ Whinstone, or

• Sandstone.

Cob wall

A cob wall construction is a traditional building method using a mixture of clay, sand, straw, and water to form thick, solid walls. Cob walls are usually found in older properties and are known for their natural insulating properties, but they can still suffer from significant heat loss due to their lack of modern insulation.