News and press releases - VELUX Media Centre | VELUX Group

VELUX supports broad industry coalition – EPBD Review

Wed, 09 Nov 2016 11:00:00 +0100

For the first time, the building glass façade and window industry represented by European Aluminium, EuroWindoor, ES-SO and Glass for Europe come together to call for a modernised EPBD to unleash the energy savings potential of high performing windows.

Windows and glazed areas in buildings are essential to the overall energy performance of buildings but also to the general comfort and well-being of people living and working in these buildings. To reap these distinctive benefits of modern windows, the four associations call for a revision for the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, in particular to ensure the energy performance of glazed areas is fairly assessed and to put in place the right mechanisms and incentives for market actors to deliver massive energy savings.

In the joint position paper issued today, the signatories call on the European Commission to consider three priorities ahead of its review of the EPBD:

Increasing the renovation rate of European buildings to obtain larger energy use reductions
Using the energy balance approach to assess the energy performance of windows
Recognising the benefits of daylight, natural ventilation and solar management

For instance, the co-signatories would like to see the revised directive integrating the ‘energy balance approach’ for the evaluation of windows’ performance and in particular when it comes to setting minimum performance requirements for window replacement.

To read the position paper in full: http://www.eurowindoor.eu/activities/energy-efficiency/

For more information from VELUX on energy balance, benefits of daylight, natural ventilation and solar management:

http://www.velux.com/energy

http://www.velux.com/health

VELUX on COP21: A step in the right direction

Mon, 14 Dec 2015 14:13:00 +0100

For the first time, the Paris conference saw buildings on the agenda of COP negotiations. As they account for some 40 per cent of European energy consumption and CO2 emissions, it makes eminently good sense to incorporate buildings in the efforts to reduce both.

90 per cent of the existing building stock in Europe will still be in use in 2050. And 75 per cent of those buildings are energy inefficient. The VELUX Group has constructed a series of experimental buildings throughout Europe to show that the tools needed for environment-friendly construction are already available. Next April, the Group will complete an example of energy renovation in a social housing estate in Belgium.

The VELUX Group’s core business areas are Western Europe and the USA. But is sees significant potential in former Eastern Europe, where the need for home renovation is much greater than in Denmark and other countries in Western Europe. Less than 5 per cent of the company’s sales are made in Denmark.

Reduce CO2-emissions with a VELUX roof window

Tue, 13 May 2014 00:00:00 +0200

As the effects of climate change are felt across the globe, both governments, industry and private homeowners are taking steps to address the challenges and lower CO2-emissions. Tougher energy-requirements and financial incentives for building green are being introduced. All the while increasing energy demands and scarce fossil fuel-resources raise energy prizes and further encourage private home-owners to choose climate friendly home im-provements.

Now, a new Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) show, that a VELUX roof window can help over-come these issues by saving more CO2 in its lifetime than it costs to produce and dispose of.

Reduce CO2 by up to 500 kg.
Installing a VELUX roof window is effectively accommodating both consumers' and legislators' need for energy- and CO2-savings by reducing total CO2 –emissions. In fact, throughout the lifetime of the window, total CO2-emissions are reduced by 4-500 kg.

Free solar energy leads to energy savings
The reduction of CO2 is mainly thanks to the free solar thermal energy gained through the window. It reduces the demand for heating in the winter months. But a roof window can also lower costs for air conditioning during summer. Replacing and old roof window with a new one, can increase room temperature during the winter by up to 2 degrees C and reduce it during the summer by up to 5 degrees C. The energy contribution of a roof window can be further optimised by adding blinds and shutters to avoid overheating in the summer and improve insulation in the winter. On top of that, the free daylight also reduces energy con-sumption by cutting costs for electrical light during the day.

Energy balance and the environment
To fit the need of consumers and to contribute positively to the environment, VELUX product development focusses on creating and optimal balance between the energy gains from free solar energy entering the home and the amount of energy that escapes through the window.

"Bearing in mind that buildings account for 40% of energy consumption, it is important to us that our products contribute to a healthier and more sustainable way of designing buildings. Now, we are proud to have achieved a level of energy balance where the roof window is a positive contributor to the energy efficiency of the building. One VELUX roof window leaves a positive environmental footprint reducing total CO2 emissions by 4-500 kg from cradle to grave. And on top of that there are the additional benefits of a healthier and more comfortable living environment with daylight and fresh air through the roof," says Jacob Schambye.

Jacob Schambye talks more about sustainable products and LCA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKV32VN2ZPY

Life Cycle Assessments

When the environmental impact is calculated, all stages of the windows life are assessed - from raw material extraction through materials processing, manufacture, distribution, use, maintenance, and disposal or recycling. Calculations show that the impact of production and disposal is very minimal compared to the potential energy gains or losses during the lifetime of the window in the building.