Our planet’s climate is changing and the rate of change is accelerating. Global  temperatures are rising and the arctic sea ice is thinning. Global sea levels are rising and we are experiencing more major ‘natural’ events. The seasons seem to be morphing into one another. Informed scientific opinion points to this global warming being caused by the greenhouse effect which is being magnified by our emissions of ‘greenhouse gases’, in particular CO2.

If we are to stabilise or reduce the rate of climate change then we need to reduce our level of carbon emissions.

One of the main causes of CO2 emissions are buildings and our use of energy in them. 20% of the heat lost from an average home occurs through the windows and doors. Windows and doors use more energy than any other building component. As well as the environmental implications window energy performance impacts on home comfort and running costs.

Continual development of framing systems, extrusion technologies and insulating glazing solutions has resulted in windows with excellent thermal performance characteristics. Windows can be considered as appliances in that even the very best insulated wall can only ever lose heat and cost money whereas the best window can actually add energy to the building and therefore save money.

The British Fenestration Rating Council (BFRC), a government backed body has developed the Window Energy Rating Scheme. The WER scheme is a system that enables effective comparison of the overall energy performance of individual window types. The Window Energy Rating assessment includes the window framing, reinforcement where required, weatherseals & gaskets, glass, glass unit spacer and glass unit fill. The rating applies to the window as a whole and not to any individual component parts. When a window has successfully completed the assessment process the BFRC issues a Window Energy Rating label. More