Sanctuary: Modern green homes

Shade treatments for old homes

This is an excerpt from an article in Sanctuary magazine issue 7.

When the heat is on and it’s streaming through your windows, you must think past the glazing. “External shading is the only way to significantly improve summer comfort,” advises Andreas Sederof of Sunpower.

The Victorians made extensive use of shutters, which on east and west-facing walls are still a fantastic investment.

In many Victorian-period houses, when the shutters fell into disrepair they were not replaced. Recesses on the window frame show where they were set. If you want to stay true to the Victorian style, the old shutters were two leaves fitted with louvres on a slant. They were also painted (in heritage colours, of course!).

Awnings, pergolas and deciduous plantings can be used to shade the high summer sun on north-facing windows while still permitting in the low winter sun. The Victorians also used canvas awnings on balconies and verandas.

Curtains

Another way to reduce winter heat loss – and some summer heat gain – through your old windows is curtains. “Given the difficulties of installing double glazing, curtains and pelmets can be very useful”, says Paul Downton of Ecopolis.

Adds Maurice Beinat of ecoMaster: “Full length drapes are best as they usually extend well past the edge of the window unit. If you don’t like pelmets it is an easy task to install invisible pelmets” – pearl-coloured Perspex that performs the same function as the bulky box pelmet.

The downside to curtains is that they cut out daylight. And proper heavy curtains can be very expensive.

Sun taming

This is an excerpt from an article in Sanctuary magazine issue 6.

It’s summer. The heat is intense and, somehow, it can seem nearly as hot inside as it is out. You have insulation and the blinds are drawn – what else can you do to raise comfort levels?

The first thing you should look at is shading. Imagine that for every square metre of glass in your house receiving direct sunlight, you are receiving a single-bar radiator’s worth of heat inside. Clearly, reducing the amount of direct sunlight that comes through your windows is going to make a big difference to your comfort levels. The good news is, you don’t need to pull down the blinds and live in the dark to keep your house cool. With a little strategically placed shading, you can block up to 90 per cent of all heat coming through your windows and still enjoy the view.

Shade structures can range from awnings to eaves, shutters, shade sails or trees. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Your taste will be a factor, as will be the orientation of your windows.

The side of your house that you can do most with is the north, where the trick is to employ “horizontal” shade structures such as eaves and awnings. In summer these will act like a sun visor to exclude the high and hot summer sun. In winter, the sun, travelling low to the horizon, will still peek under your shade structures to allow in precious winter warmth.

Adjustable shading gives you maximum control over how much sun you invite into your living space. Contemporary shade sails can introduce elegant lines and spaces to your home, and allow you to choose exactly how much shade you get on any given day – particularly useful in spring and autumn. Mechanical awnings also offer choice and convenience.

Once you’ve got your shading, the other thing you should look at is the windows themselves. The type of window you use has a huge effect on how much heat gets in (and in winter, how much gets out).

For all-round performance in windows, you can’t go past double glazing. It’s a common misconception that double glazing is only useful in cold climates. In fact, it’s as good at keeping the heat out as it is at keeping it in. If you have north-facing windows that you can shade in summer and open to the sun in winter, then double glazing is a must.

If you have single-glazed windows and you’re thinking of upgrading, there are a few options. You can get double glazing installed, or you can go with one of several products designed to be attached to the inside of a window frame. Price will probably determine which option you choose.

Go for double glazing

This is an excerpt from an article in Sanctuary magazine issue 6.

Even if you’ve installed insulation in the ceiling and walls, much of that good work could be undone by your windows. Heat gain through an unshaded window can be 100 times greater than though the same area of insulated wall, while heat loss can be 10 times higher.

Double glazing dramatically increases the thermal performance of windows. If your current home has single-glazed windows, installing double glazing is one of the best ways to quickly upgrade your home’s energy performance. And don’t baulk at the cost. Studies by the Australian Glass and Glazing Association showed an average cost payback of just over five years.

Get shady

This is an excerpt from an article in Sanctuary magazine issue 6.

Get to know the difference between vertical and horizontal shade structures, and permanent and adjustable shade structures, and know where to use them. Employed properly, shade structures will make your house a cool haven in summer, while allowing in that precious sunlight during winter.