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Leaving Cert Construction Studies: U-values & heat-loss costs

How often U-values & heat-loss costs comes up on the Construction Studies papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 9 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. banker

June 2028 is the first exam on the new Construction Studies course. These come from the 2016–2025 papers, so read them as a guide.

U-values & heat-loss costs, Higher Level(9 marks)

Quick ones on U-values & heat-loss costs.

(a)A floor loses 150 W for 2400 hours a year. How much energy is that?
  1. 3600 kWh
  2. 360 kWh
  3. 36 kWh
(b)A heat pump with a COP of 3.5 must supply 700 kWh of heat. Electricity used?
  1. 350 kWh
  2. 2450 kWh
  3. 200 kWh
(c)Why is a heat pump's COP lower on a very cold day?
  1. It must lift heat across a bigger temperature difference
  2. The refrigerant freezes solid in the outdoor unit
  3. Electricity costs more per unit during the winter months
Show the answers

(a) 360 kWh

(b) 200 kWh

(c) It must lift heat across a bigger temperature difference

Your turn: Higher Level questions on U-values & heat-loss costs.

Higher Level

Asked on 9 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. banker

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Q5
2024Q5
2023Q5
2022Q5
2021Q5
2019Q5
2018Q5
2017Q5
2016Q5

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More U-values & heat-loss costs questions

U-values & heat-loss costs, 3 marks

A wall loses 250 W for 1,000,000 seconds. Energy lost?

  1. 250 kJ
  2. 250,000,000 kJ
  3. 250,000 kJ
Show the answer

250,000 kJ

Watts are joules per second: 250 × 1,000,000 = 250,000,000 J, and ÷ 1000 gives 250,000 kJ, the unit calorific values are given in.

U-values & heat-loss costs, 3 marks

1,494,000 kJ is supplied by oil at 37,350 kJ/L. Litres needed?

  1. 400 L
  2. 40 L
  3. 4 L
Show the answer

40 L

Fuel = energy ÷ calorific value = 1,494,000 ÷ 37,350 = 40 L. Multiply by the price per litre for the cost.

U-values & heat-loss costs, 3 marks

867,500 kJ from wood pellets at 17,350 kJ/kg, costing 54c/kg. Cost?

  1. €27.00
  2. €92.59
  3. €2.70
Show the answer

€27.00

867,500 ÷ 17,350 = 50 kg of pellets, and 50 × €0.54 = €27.00. Dividing by the price instead of multiplying gives €92.59.

Other Construction Studies topics

All of Leaving Cert Construction Studies