Resources
Basix
BASIX is the NSW program that aims to make residential dwellings energy and water efficient. If you are building a new home, or undertaking renovations of $50,000 or more, you will need a BASIX certificate. BASIX encourages you to reduce your energy use through specific design strategies for lighting, heating, cooling and ventilation. Windows and doors can contribute greatly to the energy efficiency of your home, and here at Deniliquin Aluminium Windows we can discuss your specific window designs to improve the BASIX rating of your home.
Energy Efficiency of Windows
Windows and doors contribute to the energy efficiency of your home by affecting the amount of heat gained and lost by the building. By selecting the best type of windows and doors, the best quality of frame and seals, the most appropriate type of glass, and considering the location and orientation of your windows, you can greatly improve the energy efficiency and comfort of your home. State and federal accreditation schemes also regulate the energy efficiency of new homes and renovations, so it is important to consider these factors when choosing your windows.
Generally windows and doors that are more insulating are also more expensive, and it is important to consider whether expensive, highly-insulating products are required in every window in your home. For example, the heat lost through a small toilet window probably won’t be much different whether it is double glazed or single glazed, because the window is small, however the difference in the cost of the windows will be large.
The team at Deniliquin Aluminium Windows can talk you through the factors affecting energy efficiency, and design a specific solution for your home, where we look at the size and location of each window and discuss the most cost effective way to maximise your energy efficiency and satisfy legislative requirements.
How Energy Efficiency Works
Reducing the transfer of heat across your windows can improve the energy efficiency of your home – reducing energy bills and making your home more comfortable. Transfer of heat across windows occurs through 2 main mechanisms – solar heat gain, and conduction of heat.
Solar heat gain, or radiant heat, is the heat that transfers across a window pane when sunlight hits it directly. Solar heat gain is affected by the angle of the sunlight hitting the windows, the amount of external shading applied to the window at different times of the year, and the type of glazing used in the window. The Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) gives a value to the window that measures how readily heat from direct sunlight flows through the window system. It is expressed as a decimal number between 0 and 1, where the lower the number the less solar heat it transmits.
Conduction of heat across a window occurs when there is a difference in air temperature inside the house compared to outside. The measure of the window’s ability to resist the transfer of heat across it is known as it’s U-value, where a lower value means the window is better at resisting heat flow and is more insulating.
The SHGC and U-value take into account all the parts of the window/door – ie the frame, the quality of the seals, the type of window or door, and the glazing. The windows and doors produced at Deniliquin Aluminium Windows use high quality Bradnams branded frames and seals. Bradnam’s Windows and Doors invest heavily in product research and design, so you can be sure that your windows are using one of the most innovative product ranges in Australia.
Cleaning Glass
is important to care for your glass properly, to avoid permanent damage (especially with low-e glass). Please see the brochures below, or talk to our experienced sales team for further information.