GREEN is GOLD

As sustainability gains greater traction in the home construction and renovations space, green and sustainable solutions are increasingly preferred to offset the damage from global warming. Such green solutions are built to last long, besides being recyclable, energy-efficient and environment-friendly while also insulating your home against dust and pollution.

However, there are a plethora of products available in the market. Therefore, it's essential to carefully select sustainable solutions suiting your requirements while ascertaining these live up to their promise of being environment-friendly. Having the right energy-efficient, well-insulated products is particularly important in the case of windows and doors. Thereby, you can ensure your interiors are maintained at the right temperature, improving the quality of life for residents.

Popular Green Solution

While materials such as iron, steel and wood were formerly preferred for fenestration solutions, aluminium and UPVC windows have now replaced these materials as a more sustainable and cost-effective alternative. Due to its advantages, top fenestration brands make windows and doors of aluminium and UPVC, which are also excellent recyclable materials. At the end of their life cycle, these windows/doors can be turned into other useful items.

What's more, even the waste generated in the manufacturing process can be reprocessed. Thereby, this helps in creating a sustainable future for the coming generations. It's no surprise then that wood and iron have been replaced worldwide by UPVC and aluminium as the popular framing materials. Since UPVC and aluminium use removes the dependence on wood, it conserves trees and prevents the depletion of forest cover.

Going a step further, UPVC and aluminium windows and doors boost energy savings since they require less energy in manufacturing, unlike steel. Being a poor conductor of heat having a low U-value (this refers to the rate of heat transfer via any structure), aluminium and UPVC's heat-insulating framing material comes in double or triple-glazing solutions and airtight seals. As a result, these products provide perfect insulation against external heat. Since there is lower energy consumption, it also reduces air-conditioning costs.

Fenestration solutions with such superior insulation against dust, heat, rain and pollution can be most beneficial for developers whose projects could garner valuable LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating points.

For both homes and offices, particular emphasis should be accorded to windows and doors. Coming to windows, these are more than just wide apertures providing a view of the outside world. Without windows, it may not be possible to have natural light enter homes.

Given the importance of windows in modern homes, people have a social responsibility to make sure they have green windows installed in their houses. However, all windows in the market may not be equally energy-efficient. Consequently, homeowners must be extremely selective about buying the appropriate brand that is eco-friendly and energy-efficient.

Other Critical Benefits

Besides the ones mentioned earlier, there are other benefits of these green or eco-friendly windows.

Reduces electricity bills: With the festive season underway, this may be the appropriate period to install energy-efficient windows in your home. Energy-efficient frames and glasses have a low U-value, making them a natural insulator of heat. The heat transfer is restricted further by the UPVC and aluminium frames airtight seals with multiple chambers inside it. The low-E glass (which has a transparent coating to reflect heat) helps augment the windows' energy efficiency even more. As a good heat reflector, the revolutionary glass prevents outside heat from entering inside. To prevent more heat loss, you could use multiple glasses for double or triple glazing to increase heat loss prevention.

Construction backed by such windows can insulate homes from high external temperatures and improve the structure's energy rating. On the other hand, windows that are not green would result in much higher heat loss, increasing the electricity consumption of your home. No doubt, green windows are a smart choice that saves money in the long term through low energy bills.

Protection from noise pollution and UV rays: The combination of tinted and soundproof green windows is best since it protects the occupants from any external environmental hazards. For example, during festivals, the high decibel levels could create tremendous noise pollution that can disturb the peace, tranquillity, sleep or working ambience of home or office occupants, as the case may be. By shielding occupants from these unwanted environmental hazards, their quality of life and health can be improved.

Though green windows may seem somewhat expensive when purchased, greater energy efficiency, durability and low maintenance costs make them relatively less costly in the long run. Moreover, as these windows are extremely appealing, they end up enhancing the aesthetics of your home. Thanks to all these advantages, when it comes to refurbishing home windows, you need not look any further than UPVC and aluminium fenestration solutions.

- Saket Jain

Business Head - Fenesta (Division of DCM Shriram)

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