Windows and doors may be the most critical part of your solar passive homes performance!

The glass and frames in windows, external doors and skylights – has a significant effect on thermal performance. Up to 40% of a home’s heating energy can be lost and up to 87% of its heat gained through windows.

Depending on your climate their will be an opportune amount of glazing to floor area ratio to balance heat gained through the windows as solar radiation to heat lost through the windows. In our cold climate in North East Victoria that ratio is usually around 30%.

It is also crucially important to orientate your glazing in the right direction. Where possible the majority of glazing should face north (in the southern hemisphere) to benefit from the low winter sun angle

Frames have a significant impact on the thermal performance of windows and doors, because energy can be gained and lost through the frame, as well as through the glass.

Frame types available include:

• Timber
• UPVC
• Aluminium
• Aluminium Thermally Broken

Where possible we also love to use timber frames!