Would high level of insulation in buildings improve energy saving?

The UK government is committed to reduce 80% of its carbon footprint by the year 2050. With today’s increase in oil prices and the significant growth in energy demand, energy savings in heating and cooling of buildings is becoming an important area to address to reduce energy consumption. This paper reviews literature on energy consumption patterns and investigates the energy consumption in residential buildings based on people’s consumption behaviour. Infrared thermography has been used to identify areas in the building where heat is significantly lost. The case studies presented in this paper show that no matter how insulated a building is, significant heat can be lost due to the opening of windows by occupants. This is to improve the ventilation and temperature’s comfort level. It can be concluded that proper energy efficient ventilation is necessary to improve the energy efficiency. And the occupant’s behaviour plays an important role in controlling the energy savings regardless of the level of insulation of the building