Windows for wellbeing
With the increasing focus on building healthy homes in New Zealand, Martin Ball of NK Windows shares his insights on how choosing the right windows can lead to increased wellbeing.
The recent changes to the H1 section of the New Zealand Building Code will make our homes more comfortable. Insulation standards for windows and doors have increased, which will result in warmer and drier homes, improving the health and wellbeing of New Zealanders.
Homeowners are often willing to trade off floor area to improve specification, whether it be improved insulation in walls, ceilings and floors, improving the glazing performance or improving the airtightness and breathability of a home, using better building membrane systems.
More people are certainly considering improving the glazing performance. Almost all clients building new homes will take the glass upgrades to improve the thermal performance, specifying both Low Emissivity coatings and argon gas, which, when combined, can more than double the window’s insulation value (R-value). We can now also use more advanced glass with a higher shading co-efficient (reducing solar gain and hence overheating), allowing it to be used selectively on north and west-facing glass areas.
Improved acoustic performance reduces noise pollution and creates a calm environment in the home. As housing gets denser and often closer to noisy traffic corridors, specific requirements to improve acoustic performance appear in the specifications. While uPVC (unplasticised polyvinyl chloride) frames have a natural advantage due to being made of ‘softer’ material, the glazing can also be improved by using thicker or laminated glass to block specific frequencies.
European hardware systems are particularly designed to provide more airtight seals. While standard entrance doors and windows have been well sealed for decades, the current focus is on improving sliding door systems, as these have always been a challenge in terms of the traditional brush seals. Several hardware systems can now deliver airtight sliders by moving the sliding door sash off the seal before opening.
As the insulation performance of our buildings improves, and with climate change leading to an increase in global temperatures, overheating in summer will become more of a consideration. The use of tinted or high reflectance glass, exterior shading or shutters will become increasingly popular and vital for the future of New Zealand homes.
NK Windows is committed to delivering on the durability and performance of its window solutions to achieve a warmer, safer, quieter, greener and more comfortable home for you and your family.
03 344 3126 | nkwindows.co.nz
