Energy rated products
Make your windows work for
you...
...and do your bit for the environment
What benefits can energy-rated windows give me?
According to the Energy Saving Trust, around a fifth of all heat
loss from an uninsulated home is through its windows. Consider your
own energy bills and this could be a significant drain on your
resources.
Energy-rated windows can help to conserve the heat in your home and
depending upon your choice of rating, can even use the solar effect
of direct sunlight to help make further savings on your energy
bills. In addition to energy savings, you'll be helping the
environment by reducing your carbon footprint and it could enhance
the appeal of your home should you decide to move on.
How do energy-rated windows
work?
Energy-rated windows work through a combination of the window frame and the type of glass surface and gasses used in the sealed glass unit. Heat is not only lost through glass, but also through the window frame. In fact, the most energy efficient windows will probably lose more heat through the window frame than the glass itself!
- 1. Energy-rated windows use a slim or medium depth window frame to minimise the effect of heat loss through the frame (this can give you the benefit of even more glass area).
2. Double-glazed glass units use a low-emissivity (or Low-E) glass for the inner pane that has a thin coating on the inside which reflects heat back into the property.
3. Higher-rated windows allow the sun's natural solar energy to pass through.
4. A thermally efficient spacer bar is used to separate the two panes of glass.
5. The cavity between the two panes of glass on A and B rated windows will be filled with argon gas, a natural insulator.
What does the Energy Rating Certificate tell me?
Each energy rated window will be supplied with a unique certificate that displays energy performance information for the window (see opposite). The certificate will display:
- 1. The rating of the window (A, B, C, etc.) where 'A' is the most efficient. (Also known as the Window Energy Rating (WER)).
2. The Energy Index (how much energy will be lost or gained per square metre per year).
- 3. The 'U' value or the rate at which heat can flow through the window. The lower the better!
- 4. The solar heat gain - the amount of free solar energy transmittance through the window.
- 5. The amount of heat lost due to air leakage such as draughts.
Certification of all energy rated windows is carried out indepenently by the British Fenestration Ratng Council (BFRC). More details can be found at www.bfrc.org.
How else can energy rated
windows help me?
Changes to Building Regulations Document 'L' from 1st October 2010
will require all new and replacement windows to achieve a WER of at
least a 'C' rating or have a 'U' value of 1.6 W/m2K or lower. While
these are minimum standards, choosing 'A' or 'B' rated windows will
provide you with significantly more energy savings and warmth
benefits.
Your home may also look more attractive to potential buyers in the future and energy-rated windows will help to improve the overall energy rating of your home as required in Home Information Packs (HIPs).
Energy rated windows from Customade are also 'Energy Saving Recommended' and endorsed by the Energy Saving Trust. Find out more at www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
To find out more about Window Energy Ratings, visit www.bfrc.org
