A new EU Directive to take effect later in 2007 is expected to bring big changes to the way homes are bought, sold and rented in the UK and increase demand for “intelligent” energy-saving glass.
Ener…
A new EU Directive to take effect later in 2007 is expected to bring big changes to the way homes are bought, sold and rented in the UK and increase demand for “intelligent” energy-saving glass. Energy performance certificates will be introduced as part of the EU“s energy performance of buildings directive, legislation which comes into force in June 2007 and which will have significant implications for the specification of energy saving products, including energy-efficient glazing. The certificates will rate the energy performance of each property from A to G. They will also highlight to potential buyers how the energy efficiency of a home can be improved to bring savings on energy bills. The development builds on a similar rating scheme for windows used by the glazing industry. Window energy ratings (WERs) give consumers the opportunity to make informed choices about the types of windows installed in their homes. About 20% of the heat in a house can be lost through single-glazed windows. By fitting new double glazing, the loss can be cut by 50%, bringing savings of up to GBP 100 a year on the energy bills of an average three-bedroom home. Window industry body the British Fenestration Rating Council (BFRC) has awarded the first ever A-rated window under the WER scheme to a product using Pilkington“s K Glass and Optiwhite products. They were used by Piper Double Glazing to develop a triple-glazed sealed unit that was the first to achieve the highest energy efficiency grade.