Today, however, triple-glazed windows with even better U-values are the standard in Germany (which, by the way, ensures that we can offer very reasonable upgrades to triple glazing). This means that only double-glazed windows with a low Uw-value (which means the overall U-value of glass, profile and edge spacer) of 1.30 can be installed in German houses (as a minimum requirement). The German EnEV law regulates the required U-value rates for each area of a house, including the windows, because they play such a big part in energy-efficient building. These principles focus on the high quality of insulation and the low heat loss rates that ensure that houses are kept warm and cosy, without creating hefty power bills. Germany has a long history of very strict and rigorous government regulations regarding the energy efficiency of newly built and existing homes (the so called EnEV law). What makes German windows so much more energy-efficient compared to windows from New Zealand? Even our standard double-glazed windows achieve much lower, and thus better, U-values and reduce the heat loss significantly, compared to standard NZ windows.
The effectiveness of windows is usually calculated internationally as U-value, but in New Zealand the R-value is still widely used.ĮCOWINDOWS products are made with decades of experience of energy-efficient building in Europe, where PVC windows are the most common building solution. In contrast to the desired low U-value, a higher R-value indicates a better performance and a better insulation. The R-value defines the ability of a material to resist heat flow. Better-insulated structures have a lower U-value and lose less heat. The U-value describes how effective a material is as an insulator. The effectiveness of windows and their environmental performance is measured in U-value or R-value, which both describe the amount of heat loss of a material (R is actually the reciprocal of the U value: R = 1/U). Next to sustainable materials, such as wood and aluminium, we offer a wide range of high-performing PVC windows.Īs a member of the “Passive House Institute New Zealand” (PHINZ), ECOWINDOWS contributes to the mission of creating healthy and highly energy-efficient homes for all New Zealanders. The result is a beautiful and sustainable home with dramatically reduced power bills for years to come.ĮCOWINDOWS has a vast variety of German windows available, which are all suitable for the high standards and requirements of Passive Houses. This first NZ Passive House project was completed with a controlled ventilation system, that helps to keep the house dry, warm and comfortable all year round. In 2011, we manufactured the first certified Passive House windows right here in Aotearoa and in 2012 the first ever Passive House in New Zealand and Australia was built with our double-glazed, high-performance windows. ECOWINDOWS is a pioneer in the field of Passive Houses.
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