Energy efficient products remain a big driver for sales, with homeowners, architects and developers looking to improve a home’s thermal performance thus reducing energy usage and bills. Selecta Systems Technical Manager, Cliff Prosser, explains the company’s philosophy behind ensuring that any new developments and enhancements continue to be fabricator and installer friendly, whilst also being as cost effective as is possible.

Windows and doors are often seen as a ‘distress purchase’. A purchase made out of necessity rather than pleasure. Replacing windows and doors within a home is amongst one of the largest investment renovations that a consumer will undertake on their property. Energy efficient products will now very likely feature top of their requirements, when choosing replacement windows and doors, closely followed by security and aesthetics.

Window and door companies have the ideal opportunity to promote the energy efficiency of their products as one of the main USP’s. Whether this being new build projects or replacing ageing and tired windows and doors, there is a necessity and requirement to improve a homes thermal efficiency and reduce energy bills. The latest and future revisions to Building Regulations Document Part L and the Future Homes Standard (FHS) provides companies with a strong legislative platform for promoting the thermal performance of windows and doors within the home.

With the recent and future changes to Part L and the FHS, coupled with further calls for action on climate control and sustainability, our industry remains under pressure to further develop product energy efficiency innovation and sustainability. These changes have seen Selecta provide further investment in our research and development programme, working closely with ER Certification and Clayton Glass. These partnerships have led to some truly exceptional results with some very efficient and cost-effective solutions attained.

The objective of our energy efficiency and sustainability R&D programme has been to continue to provide fabricators and installers with an effective and easily attainable solution, that meets and exceeds current and future requirements. This philosophy has seen our existing ADVANCE 70 system capable of achieving a U value of 1.1W/m²k with a 4/20/4, 28mm double glazed unit. Again, incorporating 4mm glass, a 40mm triple glazed unit will achieve a U value of 0.8 W/m²k, meeting the proposed FHS target. All this has been achieved without any further modifications of our ADVANCE 70 system and very much standardised glass specifications.

We realise the fact that the FHS final intended 0.8 W/m²k U value requirement will pose a significant challenge to many in our industry. These planned tighter regulations may indicate that some products on the market may have already or be close to reaching their design limits of their product range.

This is why we are extremely pleased that our continued investment in our R&D programme has clearly demonstrated the excellent technical and thermal capabilities of our ADVANCE 70 system in current and future market conditions. Along the way, we have been able to retain the company ethos on providing fabricators, installers and consumers with the most innovative, proficient and cost-effective energy efficient window and door solutions on the market.

We firmly believe that by partnering with Selecta and our ADVANCE 70 system, our excellent thermal performance ratings present fabricators and installers with greater sales and marketing opportunities. The future proofed ADVANCE 70 window and door system, combined with our first-class marketing and technical support package certainly provides you with the tools to generate new sales leads and win new business.