Basix Certificates are required to ensure a level of energy efficiency is standard across all new and renovated dwellings. It can be overwhelming knowing where to start when planning your home with your Basix Assessment in Mind. Windows are a major consideration and using the information in this article, your task should become easier and ensure energy efficiency guidelines are easily met.
The positioning of the windows in your home is of crucial importance for a multitude of reasons. Firstly from an aesthetic point of view the overall look of your home is very important, from a resale perspective and to create a pleasing streetscape.
Once upon a time homeowners felt that large windows were needed to complete an attractive facade to their dwelling, but as the impact that glass has on the thermal properties of a house has come to light, building designers and architects have devised new and attractive ways to add windows to the house without the burden of too much heat penetration and expense.
Different shaped windows, clusters of smaller attractive shaped windows and well shaded windows have taken the place of great expanses of glass. Not all blocks of land are fortunate enough to have a North / south aspect so some houses have had to deal with the front or facade of their home facing in a westerly direction.
This places a huge amount of pressure on the dwellings ability to either remain cool or cool down at the end of the day. For this reason designers have planned ways to cut down on glazing to the facade of homes and instead place smaller, more shaded quantities of glass to most used areas of the home. Performance glazing is also now becoming widely used as a method of increasing the thermal comfort of a home.
Be sure to request your designer keeps these things in mind when drawing up plans for your new home or major renovations, and your basix & thermal comfort assessments should be hassle free for everyone involved.