Putting energy efficiency in the frame

In the face of rising energy bills, maintaining an energy-efficient home is becoming more important than ever in reducing expenses. Russell Hand, head of products & technical at Rehau, discusses how window and door specification can help make properties more attractive to the consumer.

It’s no secret that the UK is facing one of its greatest ever energy crises at present. By October 2022, energy bills are set to reach an average of £2,800 per year – representing a 40% increase on pre-crisis figures.

Naturally, this challenge has re-iterated the importance of an energy-efficient home, as one of the most effective means of battling this rise.

Research from the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea indicates that in a typical British home up to a third of heat produced by the central heating system is lost through the roof, walls, floor and windows. To put a price on this, this means that £1 of every £3 spent on energy goes to waste.

The Future Homes Standard

The Future Homes Standard, which has led to updates to Part L of the building regulations from 15 June 2022 aims to reduce the carbon emissions of households.

While the updated standards have caused challenges in the sector and may require changes to some existing portfolios, they also present the potential for new business for fabricators and installers as homeowners will now look to replace their window profiles for the benefit of long-term energy savings.

As such, solutions with superior U-values will be key to generating new business. Approved Document L, for instance, now outlines a target U-value of 1.2W/m²K for windows and doors in new dwellings, with the highest specification allowed for SAP calculation purposes set at 1.6W/m W/m²K.

Similarly, refurbished properties are also subject to tighter requirements with target values for replacement windows set at 1.4W/m²K, while also being required to be no worse than the windows being replaced. It should also be noted that both windows and doors installed in new build and refurbishments alike are required to be sealed with air sealing tape around structural openings.

While the Future Homes Standard sets clear guidelines for energy-efficiency in windows and doors, it is important to recognise that it forms only the first iteration of a multi-stage strategy that will be subject to change in future. Tightening standards will force the general quality and energy efficiency of all windows to improve, steadily raising the bar over time.

For instance, in spring 2023 the technical consultation on the proposed specification of the Future Homes Standard will begin. The following year, Part L regulation will be completed, outlining a new target value of 0.8 W/m²K, before finally coming into full force in 2025.

As a result, homes built from 2022 are set to produce 31% less carbon emissions, while homes built from 2025 will produce between 75 and 80% less carbon emissions.

With shifting U-value targets already observable in the Future Homes Standard alone, it is not unreasonable to suggest that targets may continue to evolve in the coming years in line with rising energy bills.

For this reason, the challenge for installers and fabricators is to identify a solution that not only adheres to current energy efficiency standards, but is resilient enough to future-proof against possible shifts in legislation.

Fortunately, the enhanced thermal properties of polymer profiles allow them to meet the new building regulations, while also providing the best possible insurance against future tightening targets. Rehau’s Total70 range, for instance, achieves an A+ Window Energy Rating (WER), with U-values possible to as low as 0.8 W/m²K. For PassivHaus projects, Rehau also stocks the Geneo range, which demonstrates complete compliance with this exacting design standard.

As energy bills continue to spiral, the time has come to address the ravenous energy consumption of the domestic sector. By making energy-efficient upgrades to building fabric such as windows and doors, homeowners can reduce their overheads.

But is important to specify the most energy-efficient solutions possible, in order to demonstrate compliance with both current and future standards.