Energy Efficiency Guide

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According to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute

Over time, this principle has become a part of our everyday lives as we become more and more aware of how our decisions and actions impact the world around us. From both an environmental perspective, as well as a financial one, people are making the decision to be more conscious of the products they buy and the way in which they live their lives.

What are the benefits of purchasing energy efficient windows?

This sentiment has been adopted by not only some big businesses and industries, but on a personal and domestic level too. This means that when renovating your home, you can make choices that can help to decrease your energy use in your day-to-day life. Here are some of the benefits of making this positive change:

• Save Money – The average home loses around 10% of its’ heat through its’ windows, making your home colder and harder to keep warm. Through the use of two, or even sometimes three, panes of glass, energy efficient windows are incredibly good insulators, saving you money on your energy bills. Depending on the size of your home, this figure could range anywhere from £40 to £160 a year! Find out more at Ovo energy.

   

• Less Condensation – Most energy efficient windows come with a feature called low-E glass. This helps to reflect heat back into your room which allows the panes of glass in your window to remain warm. As condensation builds up through moist air hitting cold glass, this feature could have a huge impact on the amount of condensation in your home.

   

• Increase Your Home’s Value – According to Anglian, replacing your windows with energy efficient alternatives could increase the value of your home by as much as 14-38%! This is due to the Energy Performance Certificate often carried out when valuing homes. A higher score on this certificate will positively impact your home’s value. It is also worth noting that to produce this Energy Performance Certificate, a SAP calculation will need to be undertaken which is the government’s method for calculating the energy performance of dwellings. To find out all you need to know about SAP calculations and how they could affect your home, have a read of the Ultimate Guide on the UK Building Compliance website here.

• Reduce Your Carbon Footprint – As you will naturally be using less energy to heat your home, this has a knock-on effect meaning that you will produce less CO2. Carbon dioxide is one of the biggest contributors to global warming, having a huge impact on climate change. Through lowering your energy use, you will be lowering the amount of CO2 entering the atmosphere. Find out more about CO2 and the impact it is having on our planet in NASA’s report here.

Some Need-To-Know Energy Efficiency Terms

• U-value – Also known as thermal transmittance, U-value is the rate of transfer of heat through a structure, divided by the difference in temperature across that structure. In other words, the lower the U-value the better!

   

• Low E – Low emissivity is a type of glass that has been coated in invisible layers of metallic oxide. This deflects UV rays and infrared back out into the environment, whilst allowing daylight in. Low E glass helps to keep your home warm in winter and cool in summer.

   

• Double and Triple Glazing – Double or triple glazing uses two or three panes of glass in the window structure to deliver maximum heat retention.

   

   

• Thermal Insulation – This is the reduction of heat transfer between objects, helping to keep your home warm.

   

   

All of the windows sold at Sterlingbuild are of the highest quality and have been selected with a large amount of care and consideration in regards to their features and reliability. It is of the upmost importance to us that we provide roof windows that meet current standards and specifications, especially when it comes to energy efficiency. We have a whole range of double and triple glazed windows for sale on site, as well as those with low E coatings and low U values, essential for lowering your energy use! Here are a few of our favourites:

RoofLITE+ APY B1500 Solid White PVC Triple Glazed Centre Pivot Roof Window

FAKRO FTP-V P5 Pine Triple Glazed Laminated Centre Pivot Roof Window

Signature Electric Hinged Flat Glass Rooflight with Wall Switch

If you still haven’t found the energy efficient windows you are looking for, or would like some bespoke guidance and advice, contact our expert team on 0208 830 7000.