Energy efficient window dressing ~ more than a pretty face

With the construction stage of your house drawing to a close, it’s now the fun time as you dress your home with your favourite light fittings, window dressings and floor coverings. This is where the dreams you began with now literally materialises before your eyes. It’s where you get to put your final stamp of ownership on your original plans, and your construction site morphs into your new home. The choices you make now will, like everything else you’ve done to build this home, have their own on-going impact on the energy efficiency and sustainability of your home — increasing it or decreasing it. LED lights can be very cost-effective to run, and are available in a wide range of styles and fittings, and can enhance an ultra-modern look or give a fresh light on classic styles. Windows are traditionally the weak link in external insulation barriers, so the choice of your window dressings plays a crucial role in temperature control. There is a large array of choices, from curtains and drapes through to selections of blinds and shutters. The most important thing is to cover your windows. New generations of blinds like the Sunway (with its reflective coating on the window side) and the Sabelle Blockout (that concertinas to trap still air within the blind) do an excellent job of reducing heat transfer through glass. If curtains and drapes are more of your choosing, it is wise to put an enclosed pelmet above your curtain or drapes. These will trap still air between the window dressing and the glass, helping to stop heat transferring through the glass because of the air movement. Floor covering again is very much a personal choice. From an energy efficiency perspective, if your home is built on a concrete slab you are better to look to a matte tile or vinyl plank as they will help transfer warmth into the thermal mass of the slab, whereas a gloss tiles or timber flooring will deflect and disburse the heat from the slab. Carpets may be the preferred option for your bedrooms, and it does pay to check the underlay is made from recycled materials where possible. A quality natural fibre carpet such as wool is preferable as it is fully sustainable and a renewable material. It is also hard-wearing and long-lasting, reducing the need for frequent replacement of floor coverings. At Geoff Gibson Homes, we integrate many energy-saving ideas and technologies to reduce our carbon footprint and save on running costs. If you need further advice and ideas on energy efficient floor coverings, window dressings and lighting, please call in and see us.