Online Calculator Helps Buyers Assess the Environmental and Financial Benefits of Choosing Energy Efficient Windows & Doors.

Independent UK supplier of bespoke Scandinavian and Austrian timber windows and doors, Broxwood Limited, today launched an online savings calculator to help the public determine how much energy they could save by selecting efficient timber windows and doors.

In order to attain Britain’s 80% target reduction in CO2, a huge reduction in the household sector, which represents almost 30% of total emissions, is critical. The Government is encouraging households to cut emissions and the Department of Energy & Climate Change has outlined plans for new homes to be zero carbon by 2016 with all homes rated near zero carbon by 2050.

Broxwood Managing Director, Olav Skretteberg, said: “Energy consumption in houses accounts for almost a third of the UK’s total energy consumption each year with UK houses performing poorly by comparison with the rest of Europe. It’s a fact that technologically advanced timber windows and doors, the environmentalists’ preferred option, are the smart choice for reducing both energy usage and the cost of living. Thermally efficient products are readily available and the energy savings calculator now available online at broxwood.com will help householders and businesses quantify the impact that their purchasing decisions can have on their finances and the planet.”

In developing their unique energy savings calculator, Broxwood worked with the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy enterprise, ENOVA. ENOVA’s mission is to contribute to the environmentally sound and rational use and production of energy. The resulting new calculator determines how many kilowatts of energy could be saved annually by reducing heat and energy loss through windows and doors. This helps to illustrate the amount of energy which can be saved by selecting more thermally efficient products and the possible financial savings to be gained.

For example, assuming that the installation of their windows and doors is undertaken by a professional installer and based on an average electricity price of 13.95p/kWh, the owners of a house in the Edinburgh area with electric heating and windows and doors totaling 15m2 could potentially save up to 3344kWh per year if they replaced single glazing with low-e Argon-filled cavity double timber glazing. This in turn could potentially reduce energy costs by as much as £465 per year. If the upgrade was to Triple Glazing, even better savings of 4260kWh could be possible with over £590 per year being saved.

Skretteberg, an advocate of tried and tested Passive House techniques, continued: “Critically, improving the performance of windows and doors will maximise solar gain, offer greater thermal and sound insulation and will also increase home comfort by minimising cold spots and draughts. Energy prices are on an upward trend and so any savings are welcomed by most homeowners. Furthermore, with the introduction of the now mandatory Home Report with its energy efficiency and environmental impact assessment, choosing the best performing timber windows that you can afford will only serve to improve the performance rating and marketability of your property. So all in all, choosing to upgrade to better timber windows and doors is a sound home improvement measure, now and for a brighter future.”

Broxwood’s energy saving calculator can be found at: http://www.broxwood.com/cut-costs-save-energy-timber-windows-and-doors.html. For more, call Olav Skretteberg on 01738 444456 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .