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It’s time to draw the curtains, pull down the blinds and keep office costs under control.
Insulate Britain has caused waves with its protests this autumn. According to some, those protests have had an impact. In his Autumn Statement, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced £6 billion extra to insulate buildings as he aims at a 15% reduction in overall energy use by 2030.
The aim is clear, but offices, public buildings, retail and hospitality face an uncertain future in light of rising energy prices. Unlike domestic users, businesses have no energy price cap, although the Energy Bill Relief Scheme will provide respite to some firms.
How can specifiers and facilities management companies help their clients keep their energy costs down and cut their carbon footprint this winter? One way is to ensure all windows are protected by blinds or curtains which are kept shut when the sun is not shining. According to the University of Salford, keeping curtains closed can save 17% on fuel bills.
The choice of material is a significant influence on thermal performance. So, what should specifiers and facilities management companies look for?
Firstly, it depends on the business. In an office, blinds provide more multi-functional benefits than curtains. They can be used all year round to regulate temperature, solar gain, natural light and glare. In hotels, restaurants and bars, curtains may look more attractive and create a sense of warmth and intimacy.
Blinds with thermal protection
The best thermal blinds are metallised, like Duette blinds which have a pleated honeycomb fabric containing multiple air pockets. However, we rarely see these used on commercial projects as they’re not the most robust and have size limitations.
If the building already has blinds, they will make some impact on heating bills if drawn down, so ensuring your blinds are at the right position throughout the day is crucial.
Keeping them raised during the day, if they’re not needed for glare control, allows for the positive effects of solar heat gain to warm the building. Then, once the darkness draws in, the blinds should be fully lowered to help retain the heat.
Metallised fabrics like SiverScreen have a low U-value and will be the most effective with regards to heat retention. Furthermore, fully automated systems can be set to raise and drop depending on the light and time of day, which eliminates the need to manually do this and maximises the amount of heat retained in the building. We often touch on this subject in our CPD, Improving Sustainability through Performance Solar Shading.
It’s vital that blinds are fitted as close to the window as possible. Heat loss is reduced by minimising the gap between blind and glazing. Cold air seeps through the narrowest gap, so keep the blinds as tight to the frame as possible down the sides and across the bottom. ShadeTech DBL-G and DBL-E both do this job well.
Pull the curtains to keep heat in
Thermal curtains, like their equivalent blinds, are made from multiple layers of material. Typically, the decorative face material is lined with two or three further materials behind it. Look for internal layers which are especially heat retentive – such as felt or flannel.
No curtain cuts heat loss when it’s open, so it is important users close them as soon as it starts to get dark – particularly in hotels.
Natural materials, such as the pure new wool used in Kvadrat’s divina range of fabrics, are not just good for heat retention, they also minimise environmental damage.
Whatever barrier is chosen, pulling blinds and curtains plays its part in the overall energy reduction strategy
Top tips for end users:
- Keep heat in the room.
- Turn the thermostat down and cut energy bills.
- Thicker linings keep the room darker and cosier at night.
- Effectively control the interior temperature all year round – keep the warmth in during winter and cut unwanted sunlight, heat and glare during the summer, by reflecting the heat in or outside.
Up to 30% of the heat is lost through windows. So, close those curtains and drop those blinds as soon as the temperature dips.
