The document discusses factors to consider when choosing and installing glass and glazing for property development, including energy efficiency, natural light, ventilation, noise reduction, safety, and consumer protection. It recommends using an energy savings calculator to evaluate how more efficient windows could reduce heating and cooling costs. Windows are important for ventilation and should provide adequate airflow according to building regulations. Quality glazing can also reduce noise pollution and sun glare while allowing natural light. Fire safety guidelines require windows in habitable first floor rooms to provide emergency exits. Developers should protect themselves and budgets by choosing installers that offer guarantees, warranties, and deposit protection schemes.

1. 30 | www.yourshow-home.com
Glass and glazing advice
for property developers
Lauren Barnett spoke to James Lee, Director of Marketing and Communications at
Myglazing.com about the importance of installing good windows in your property
BRICKS & MORTAR Glazing
Glazing can completely transform the
way a home looks and functions.
Whether replacing windows, adding a
conservatory or installing an interior
feature such as a glass wall, there are
a number of factors that need to be
considered, from the energy efficiency
and performance of the product, to
security through to the aesthetics, size
and style.
H
ere James Lee, director of
marketing and communications at
MyGlazing.com, the new consumer
advice site, talks to ShowHome
about what to consider when it comes to
choosing and installing glass and glazing.
Save on energy costs
With the big six energy suppliers competing
aggressively on price, energy costs are at the
forefront of many homeowners’ minds.
Statistics show that 23-24 per cent of a home’s
energy can be lost through inefficient
windows, so when it comes to creating an
energy efficient home that doesn’t throw
away money and improves your health and
lifestyle, windows are a great place to start.
If you want to measure the impact installing
modern, energy efficient windows could have
on a property, try using MyGlazing.com’s
Energy Savings Calculator. By simply selecting
the options that best describe your property
type, current windows, heating fuel and
proposed replacement windows, you will be
shown how much could be saved on energy
bills and compare the difference in savings,
depending on what type of glazing product
you choose.
Installing windows with a high energy
rating can reduce the amount of energy
required to warm and cool a home, as well as
making it a more comfortable place to live in.
For example, someone with a semi-detached
house with timber, single glazed windows of a
typical size, using an electric heat source to
warm their home could save £459.20 a year if
they replaced them with A++ rated windows –
the most energy efficient windows available
today.
Let there be light
The size of windows should also be
considered. Small windows will make an
internal space feel much smaller than it is due
to less natural daylight and are likely to
require the homeowner to use artificial
lighting more frequently to keep the rooms
bright, using more energy and increasing bills.
Proportionately sized windows using
modern energy efficient (low-emissivity) glass
offer the benefits of solar gain, meaning that
the property will actually be warmer from
sunlight entering the building via the window.
There is a growing trend for introducing
features into the home which blur the lines
between outdoor and indoor spaces. Installing
The size of windows should also be considered. Small windows will make an
internal space feel much smaller than it is due to less natural daylight and are
likely to require the homeowner to use artificial lighting more frequently to keep
the rooms bright, using more energy and increasing bills.
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2. www.yourshow-home.com | 31
BRICKS & MORTARGlazing
patio doors, bi-folding doors or even whole glass walls
will open your living space out into the garden, as well
as making it feel brighter thanks to more natural light
entering the building.
If you’re planning any major glass installations or
extensions, you’re likely to need the advice of a
building/project manager (such as an architect) to
ensure that the work meets building regulations and
complies with local council planning departments.
Keep your home ventilated
Homes are becoming increasingly more airtight to
help reduce energy consumption, and while saving
energy is a plus, it’s important to make sure rooms are
properly ventilated. Ventilation is necessary to provide
a healthy and comfortable internal environment for
occupants, by removing polluted air and replacing it
with fresh, outdoor air.
Windows in particular are crucial to ventilating
properties, preventing them from becoming a moisture
trap rife with damp, condensation and mould. Trickle
vents are standard in new modern energy efficient
windows and are a simple way to ventilate the room
and help avoid condensation gathering.
The Building Regulations in England and Wales
require ‘that there shall be adequate means for
ventilation provided for people in the building’. This is
measured in Equivalent Area (EA), which is the industry
accepted method of determining the performance of a
ventilator. Habitable rooms should have a minimum of
5000mm2 EA and wet rooms should have a minimum of
2500mm2 EA.
Turn down the glare
No matter the time of year, if a property is positioned
in the way of direct sunlight, the sun’s glare can make
simple tasks such as television viewing and reading
difficult, as well as causing damage to fabrics and
furnishings and can even affect the health of your skin.
Anti-glare window film can cut out up to 95 per cent of
glare whilst still allowing natural sunlight to pass
through and provide an important layer of protection.
Quiet, please
Modern glazing helps to reduce the level of noise
entering a building. If a property is based in a
particularly busy area, for example near to a motorway
or an airport, you might want to pay particular care
ensuring your glass and glazing products will help to
minimise any intrusive noises. Although installing
acoustic glazing may not completely nullify the source
of the noise pollution - as sounds also travel through
walls and ceilings - having good quality glass and
glazing can significantly reduce the noise coming into
your home.
Safety first
A key health and safety consideration in any property
is what the occupiers will do and how they will leave
the building in the unfortunate event of a fire. When
fitting windows in new build projects, there are certain
guidelines that need to be met. Any first floor habitable
room needs to have a window which opens sufficiently
to allow people to quickly and safely leave the building.
A fire escape window should have an unobstructed,
openable area that is at least 0.33m² and at least either
450mm high or 450mm wide to ensure a quick and
unrestricted exit. If refurbishing an existing property, it
is considered good practice to replace any window on
the first floor that is not used as an escape window
with an escape window.
Protect yourself
Whether working on a new build or renovation
project, costs can quickly escalate and it’s important to
protect yourself – and your budget – so that you don’t
get caught out if anything goes wrong. When it comes
to sourcing and installing new glass and glazing, as part
of the pre-contractual information you should be made
aware of the financial commitment you are making and
find out about deposit protection schemes that are in
place. You should also ensure any purchase you make
comes with a guarantee and warranty, meaning the
work is protected for a number of years.
The MyGlazing.com website offers more in depth
expert advice completely free of charge. The site also
has an online directory of Glass and Glazing Federation
(GGF) Member companies who supply or install in your
area. All of these companies follow a Code of Practice
that has been approved by the Chartered Trading
Standards Institute and are obliged to offer all
consumers free deposit protection through the GGF
Deposit Indemnity Scheme, as well as details of the GGF
Conciliation Scheme which will ensure that if you do
have any issues, the GGF will do its utmost to resolve
them.
www.myglazing.com
James Lee, Director of Marketing and Communications
“Homes are
becoming
increasingly
more airtight
to help
reduce energy
consumption,
and while
saving energy
is a plus, it’s
important
to make
sure rooms
are properly
ventilated.
Ventilation
is necessary
to provide a
healthy and
comfortable
internal
environment
for occupants,
by removing
polluted air
and replacing
it with fresh,
outdoor air.
Windows
in particular
are crucial to
ventilating
properties...”
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m
edia
ltd.