How home-based businesses can save money with the ‘Windows Energy Rating Scheme’ (WERS)
How home-based businesses can save money with the ‘Windows Energy Rating Scheme’ (WERS)
As with insulation, windows have the ability to make your business premises cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
A business can lose up to 40% of its heat through windows, leading to an increase in heating costs. Similarly, it can gain up to 87% of its heat through windows, leading to an increase in cooling costs. That’s why improving the thermal performance of windows can help to reduce energy costs.
The ‘Window Energy Rating Scheme’ (WERS) rates the energy efficiency of windows, enabling consumers to choose those with the highest thermal performance.
On the website, www.wers.net, the red stars show how efficient the window is at keeping heat in and the blue stars show how efficient the window is at keeping heat out. Members of WERS can provide certificates for windows with the star ratings to show their performance.
As with other star-rating schemes, more stars mean more efficiency.
If a window has no stars, it won’t perform well. If it has the maximum possible 10 stars (5 stars for cooling and 5 stars for heating), then the window will have strong thermal resistance and will be able to substantially slow the transfer of heat.
If you’re replacing your windows, install the ones with the highest star rating you can afford. This will help to reduce your heating and cooling costs.
WERS has a searchable list of 250,000 products: EnergyCut.info/wers-commercial-film-products
To find out more about WERS, visit: EnergyCut.info/wers-info
Why are energy efficient windows so important?
Standard windows can significantly impact your heating and cooling bills. They are responsible for 46-61% of unwanted heat loss during cooler months. They are also responsible for 79-86% of heat gain during warmer times of the year.[1]
- 1. WERS ‘A Simple Guide to Sustainable Windows’ Report