The environment has never been a more important topic of discussion than it is today, and many people are adapting their own personal lifestyles to help in the fight against global warming.

This, and the rise in the cost of energy over the past few years, has been the driving force behind a significant increase in the number of people building eco-homes, or trying to take their own existing property off-grid through the installation of sustainable upgrades.

If you are looking to do so yourself, or are simply looking to make a few energy efficiency upgrades to future proof your home and protect yourself against future heating price hikes, installing new double or triple glazed windows is a must.

The good news is, there have never been more options on the market in terms of design and no matter what age or style your property may be, our windows Edinburgh experts will have no problems finding you’re the perfect new windows to match.

Nowadays, double glazing is not only considered energy efficiency because it doubles the number of glass panes between you and the outside world in comparison to single glazing. Every single part of the window unit is optimised for thermal efficiency from the thermos space bars between the panes to the frame materials, and everything in between.

What does sustainable living look like?

Before we look at the windows available to those looking to live sustainably, we first need to consider what living sustainably looks like in the first place.

Anything that reduces the amount of finite resources that you use to power your home can be considered a sustainability upgrade, but it takes a lot more than some insulation in the loft to live completely off-grid.

Some of the biggest benefits to an eco-friendly home include:

• Reducing your carbon footprint – The main reason that people upgrade to triple glazing or install renewable energy sources such as solar panels.
• Improving your health and that you your family – The fewer harmful gases that are floating around the world and near your home the better.
• Saving money – Gas and electricity have never been more expensive and generating your own energy, and retaining any energy that you do use can help you to keep your energy bills as low as they possibly can be in the current climate.

What windows are best for eco-homes?

The best windows for anyone looking to improve their sustainability is simply the one that offers the best thermal efficiency rating.

However, you also have to consider the manufacturing process.

You should always try to pick a window product that was developed using sustainable techniques where any by products are recycled and recycled materials are used in the production process.

The energy efficiency of windows is judged using U-Values, a scale that measures how effective a material is at preventing heat transfer.

Look for windows that offer the lowest possible U-Values for the best possible energy efficiency.