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Saving Energy in Style

We all know we need to embrace more energy-efficient products in our homes and fortunately they are no longer so unattractive.

Saving energy hasn’t always been synonymous with the height of fashion. No design-conscious homeowner was ever going to embrace the early energy-saving light bulbs with their burly pig’s tail shape, and who would want to interrupt the seamless overall effect of Colorbond roofing and rendered walls with clunky solar panels, even if they were going to save you money somewhere down the line.

Times have changed. With the rise in electricity costs, that show no sign of slowing down, combined with a generally increased social awareness of saving energy for the sake of our plane, we’ve come to realise that we need to do something. Luckily the options now available are becoming much more on trend and sleeker in design so we can make good choices every day. Here are some ways to achieve this, both inside and outside the home.

Keep it simple
When building a new home, get back to basics with a clever layout, smart building materials and suitable colours that will work to your advantage in the long run. These days our desire for beautiful, open-plan living areas demands expanses of glass windows and doors bigger that we’ve ever seen before, so if you do want more glass than wall, make sure you choose double glazing and a timber or insulated frame. This will make sure your heating and cooling systems can work to the best of their ability by reducing the thermal transfer through your windows and doors. You will also have better airflow if you choose opening windows and skylights.

How your home sits on your block is vital too. North-facing windows will give you the most natural light and will help warm your house in the cooler months by bringing in the warmth of the low winter sun. Eaves along this northern wall will protect you from exposure to the high summer sun, as will a great pergola or strategic south-facing windows receive little direct sun, but can be a cause of major heat loss in winter. Prevent this with double glazing and beautiful window dressings, such as pale, sheer curtains with a heavier separate curtain or roller blind behind to admit natural light without losing the heat. These windows are still useful for creating cross breezes throughout your home in summer.

As well as improving ventilation, high windows and skylights make a happier, lighter and brighter home, and reduce the need to use electricity to light the home.

You will be surprised how much your colour choices come in to play. Lighter-coloured roofs and walls will reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat, so save darker colours for trims and smaller features. Window tints, sunscreens and exterior shutters are not only attractive and maintain privacy, they will also help keep those unwanted harsh rays at bay.

"Double glazing is your first option for temperature control, and there are different qualities of double glazing you can go for. If you are facing west, it’s a good idea to tint the glass green or grey as this helps with glare coming through. There’s also a new framing that we are using called thermal break. Instead of being aluminium all the way through, it is two sections joined with a high quality plastic through the middle to step heat transferring through." Stratos Efstathiadis, South Pacific Aluminium Windows and Doors.

Article extract from SA Homes & Interiors - Volume 9.

Builder/Architect: Samuel James Homes
Alspec Fabricator: South Pacific Aluminium Windows and Doors, SA

Alspec Products Used:
McArthur 101.6mm Centre Pocket Framing
Thermally Broken Awning & Casement Window