With snow on the ground across large parts of Great Britain this week, combined with news that 2025 was a record year for renewables, insulation specialist Actis is reminding architects and specifiers that the key to an energy efficient home lies in prioritising the fabric of a building
While strategic use of renewable energy sources is vital as we move towards net zero, initial focus must go on adopting the ‘fabric first’ approach and ensuring the structure is thermally efficient to minimise heat loss in the first place, says Actis technical manager Harsha Mistry.
Provisional figures issued by the National Energy System Operator (Neso) show renewable energy produced a record amount of electricity in England, Scotland and Wales in 2025, with wind generating nearly 30% of the nation’s electricity and solar panels 6%. The figures exclude Northern Ireland.
Fabric first principles will be key to efficient building technology solutions
“This is obviously to be welcomed,“ said Harsha. “But energy efficiency standards should always be based on reducing the need for energy first and in particular limiting the heat loss through thermal elements – that is through achieving excellent U-values, reducing thermal bridging and improving air tightness – the fabric first principle. This will need to be combined with more use of efficient building technologies.
“Ensuring insulation is continuous, with no gaps, plays a vital role in reducing thermal bridging – and this is one area in which the Actis Hybrid range and our two-in-one Eolis HC excel, with their flexible nature and ease of cutting and moulding into corners, gaps and awkward junctions.”
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