“Money to burn.”  It’s an interesting phrase that we probably didn’t think about too much until recent times

 

 Over the last few years however we have seen energy prices rise quite significantly and we have all suffered increases. Indeed this has become so much of an issue that a number of well known internet web sites provide comparison information that promote the concept of saving energy costs by changing provider.

 

 Over the last 12 months or so the price of crude oil has doubled and no one would bet against further increases. As a result of this we have seen the domestic energy companies rush to increase domestic tariffs to heights never reached before. British Gas has been the latest company to advise the public of an increase – a 35 per cent increase in price this year alone! And don’t we all know that proposed future energy price revisions never seem to take the prices back from where they started.

 

In this wonderful country of ours the summer months (or more realistically weeks or days) come and go very quickly and even now winter is rushing towards us. For many individuals the cost of heating their home will be a real concern and if we believe the stories there will never again be cheap energy. Alternative energy sources are being investigated by both Governments and commercial enterprises; some are being marketed and occasionally these are purchased by domestic consumers in the hope of long term payback and carbon footprint reductions, despite the high capital cost and relatively low returns of such installations.

 

Our industry has spent a great deal of time and money working to convince the commercial consumer to install the correct shading systems to reduce the amount of solar gain experienced within commercial buildings thereby reducing the need and reliance on expensive to buy and operate air conditioning units. The reduction of solar gain has become an important factor when we talk to the commercial user and specifier.

 

 But what about the domestic consumer? How can they benefit from the correct selection of window blind systems and fabrics. Sure they can select SPC fabrics to reduce solar gain in areas of the home where this is a problem but this is very specific to individual situations and cannot easily be quantified.  

 

 It should not surprise you that Louvolite has been considering this situation for some time now,  its starting point was that if the fabrics they produce feature characteristics that can reduce solar gain surely there must be a positive trade off for fabrics which can be proven to have characteristics to reduce thermal loss. A reduction in thermal loss is far more significant to domestic consumers as this can work to reduce the energy required to heat their homes.

 So Louvolite set about proving just that. First of all they established the parameters that would be meaningful to everyday consumers and the people who are best placed to explain the resultant findings - Louvolite customers.

 

 The parameters would include house type, glazing system type, fabric performance. The house types would be limited to those descriptions that we all recognize: Terraced/Semi-Detached /Detached 

 

 In order to ensure that the project outcome would be both credible and meaningful a number of key issues were nailed down at the outset.

  The approach taken to the building models design is based on the BREDEM-12 model description and the physical properties of the building components conformed to current Part L Building Regulations.

 

 Calculation methods used for the Total Solar Energy Transmittance, Gtot, of complex glazing systems employing shading devices was determined utilizing criteria and methods detailed in European Standards EN 13363-1, EN 13363-2 and EN 14501.

 Certain physical fabric testing was carried out by the National Physical Laboratory with other tests carried out internally at Louvolite with approved equipment to recognised approved standards.

The project was handed to an independent specialist authority to establish the performance characteristics of the various Louvolite fabric ranges and those findings have created the report on which the energy saving calculations are based.

 

 In reality all fabrics will create a form of insulation at a window and the industry and most logical people would buy into that; however until now no company had set out to establish the savings available and back this with credible information and figures. Not just percentage figures and formulaes, but pounds shilling and pence figures that mean something to both the blind maker and of course the final consumer. As some fabrics have characteristics that perform better than others Louvolite created a classification system to allow easy reference.    

 

Fabrics are identified as being in one of three groups; ER1, ER2 or ER3.

 

 ER3: These are fabrics which have are deemed to be the essential fabrics for window furnishing. Fabrics which fall into this category perform to a reasonable level and should be the minimum products that customers select to make a tangible difference to thermal loss.

 

 ER2: Fabrics that fall into this category have a higher performance than ER3 and Louvolite classes these fabrics as effective in the reduction of thermal loss.

 

 ER1: These do exactly what they say on the tin, as it were. Fabrics in this category are the most efficient fabrics for reducing thermal loss when used in tandem with glazing systems.

 

To ensure that blind suppliers and the final consumers can appreciate the potential savings that the use of Louvolite fabrics can make Louvolite has produced a matrix depicting house type, fabric type, and glazing system combinations.  Within that matrix the energy levels required to satisfy the Annual Space Heat Requirement is detailed with and without the blind.

 

 The difference is qualified and then assessed against typical heating costs. The heating cost itself is a combination cost taking into account the difference between electricity and gas costs in addition to the ratio in which these are typically used within the United Kingdom.

 

 The result is that the consumer will be able to establish an indication of the energy reduction and associated cash saving that would be appropriate to the Louvolite fabric selected and make a discernible choice should a higher performing fabric be preferred. If you can estimate the level of savings made you can effectively identify a return of the investment made - the cost of the blinds - and work out a payback period for the blinds.

 

Lets face it, normally consumers approach blindmakers with the intention of buying window blinds; that being the case they will absolutely be interested in buying blinds that actually pay a little back to them in fuel saving each and every year they are owned! 

 

Louvolite has produced this information for its existing collection in order for consumers to take advantage of the fuel saving immediately as the timing coming up to the winter period is critical. In addition all of their new fabric collection for 2009 through to 2011 has also been classified. 

 

The project also identified a massive benefit to utilising the Louvolite Perfect Fit system with appropriate window blinds. Perfect fit changes the air-flow around the blind and further reduces thermal loss by up to a further massive 4 per cent.  This performance feature on its own creates a significant additional saving to those individuals selecting Louvolite Perfect Fit.

 

As the majority of window blind styles can now be installed using the Perfect Fit system it will be no surprise to see this award winning programme becoming even more popular with blindmakers and consumers.

 

Louvolite has had numerous reports of consumers with single glazed windows specifying Perfect Fit to benefit from the integrated appearance of the product and improved functionality – with significant thermal loss reduction the appeal of this totally unique programme will reach new heights.

 

Louvolite is rolling out a promotional information programme to assist its customers in explaining the facts about the three “E ‘s” and will utilise an eye catching poster depicting thermal imagery to physically show consumers the reduction in thermal loss that is resultant from installing Louvolite blinds.

For many years the industry has needed something that really makes the consumer wake up to the advantages our products have to offer. Yet again it appears that Louvolite is happy to play its part in rising to this challenge with what will really be a win / win with its blindmaking customers and in turn the consumer.

 

You have always believed the industry products made a difference – Louvolite now provides you with proof that its do.