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Choosing Windows
By
Sunrise Homes
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“A well designed passive home with energy efficient windows requires no heating or cooling except in the most extreme climates. Even in extreme climates, it is possible to design a Zero Energy - Zero Bills house at little additional cost.” ‘Your Home´ Technical Guide, a publication to inform homeowners of the advantages of energy efficient design.
Often people ask me “what is the best type of heater to have installed?” My answer is … insulation.
Go on read the above statement again, remembering this comes from a manual produced by the Australian Greenhouse office for the Australian Government. This is the reality:
“A well designed passive home with energy efficient windows requires no heating or cooling …”
For many people the extra cost associated with a "premium" product compared to the cost associated with a "standard product", doesn’t return an adequate additional benefit.
Energy efficient glazing, however, is the opposite. The enormous reduction in heating and cooling costs, in addition to the reduction of allergy related issues is not a subtle benefit, it is substantial.
With double glazing you will enjoy:
- a healthier home by considerably reduced mould and condensation from windows
- a warmer home with a better type of warmth without the drying heat that some heating systems produce
- better re-sale value. Studies in Canberra where energy ratings have been mandatory for over 9 years, show conclusively that when comparing similar homes, the ones with higher energy efficiency sells for more.
- annual heating cost savings and savings on the installation of expensive heating systems
When you are selecting your windows ask the supplier – “Can I replace my heater with these windows?” If the answer is “no”, or a blank stare then with the following information you can reap the advantages of a highly energy efficient home.
Highly efficient windows can be a lifeline to make your home energy efficient especially for houses that are on poorly oriented blocks or existing houses that aren’t planned well and don’t use the sun well in winter or summer.
CertainTeed is a producer of uPVC double glazed windows. On their website they say that many of their customers homes achieve 50 points or more for their home energy rating scores (15 points provides a 5-star home)
It could be suggested that if a home has CertainTeed – or any other highly energy efficient window system and they only have 50 points then they have some of the fundamentals wrong. The Sunrise Homes display home has 44 points with aluminium double glazed windows – if CertainTeed’s product had been used then according to the FirstRate energy rating software the house would have achieved over 70 points!
Remember this statement:
“A well designed passive home with energy efficient windows requires no heating or cooling except in the most extreme climates…”
Which material?
Aluminium is a good conductor of heat and can decrease the insulating value of a window by 20 to 30 percent. The alternatives to aluminium are uPVC, timber and thermally broken aluminium windows.
If you’re not sure about uPVC because it is relatively new in Australia, then remember:
- uPVC saves 100% of the trees used for timber windows.
- uPVC saves two-thirds of the energy needed to manufacture metal framed windows.
- Readily recycled. Even factory scrap goes back into other uPVC products.
- Because they never need painting, cleanup and disposal of paints and stains are also avoided.
So choose your windows carefully. Get to know your window manufacturer a little and the windows too. They are a major step in making your home a home for living!
Information for this article was sourced from the Your Home Technical Manual, the CertainTeed website and the Australian Window Association (AWA).
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