Green Guide 2008 ratings
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Domestic Windows
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Domestic window ratings are intended for housing but can be used for low-rise (up to 3 storey) domestic scale construction for other building types. For high rise domestic buildings then either the commercial or the domestic window rating can be used for all windows depending upon the design.
Functional unit Domestic Windows:
Double glazed window based on the BFRC domestic window model (1.48m high x 1.23m wide with a central mullion and one opening light) http://www.bfrc.org/, to satisfy Building Regulations and a U value of 1.8 W/m2K.
The main environmental impact of windows is from the heat loss through them. Attention is drawn to the large number of credits available in BREEAM, the Code for Sustainable Homes and EcoHomes for reducing fabric heat loss and improving operational CO2 emissions compared to the small number available for materials specification. The embodied impact of windows should only be taken into account as a small part of the decision, with the main emphasis being to choose a window which will reduce operational energy usage.
Windows are one of the elements with a less important role in the overall embodied impact of buildings due to their low impacts and low area within buildings. However, the narrower the plan depth, as with external walls, the greater the impact, as the surface area of the building increases relative to the floor area.
For more information
Call us on 0333 321 88 11 if you would like to know more, or email enquiries@bregroup.com.