Building owners, occupants, and code officials are increasingly sensitive to energy use (and costs), and are demanding more and more efficiency from the products they buy and endorse.
The ever-growing “sustainable living” movement serves to reinforce this fact. VELUX has been ahead of the curve, and intends to stay there. With more than 90% of our production ENERGY STAR qualified in all United States climate zones (see chart below), you can specify our products confidently and proudly. And we want to hear from you if you have specific suggestions on how we could do even better for your clients.
To reduce CO2 emissions and optimize energy performance, it is necessary to consider the building as a whole, not just the sum of its components.
Energy efficiency needs to be incorporated into the very design of the building and natural available resources, such as the sun and wind, should be exploited to a maximum.
For instance, windows should be considered as energy contributors. They should be placed at strategic locations to allow for solar heat gain and optimum natural ventilation; and different types of window should be used for north and south-facing installation.
The combined effect of these two factors can be enhanced by adding roller shutters and awning blinds that provide a flexible building envelope that keep heat in on cold winter nights and out in summer.
Intelligent houses of the future will be designed to control the indoor climate automatically; smart enough to know when to insulate from cold, when to protect from heat and when to provide ventilation.