Top Tips to Make Your Conservatory More Eco-Friendly

Ahh, the British summertime … you can almost wear a t-shirt outdoors without freezing to death.

We’re joking, of course, but the capricious nature of Dear Old Blighty’s weather can make picketing the Met Office an agreeable idea. Admittedly, much of this unpredictability stems from climate change, with the Met Office’s chief scientist admitting the UK had recently seen its “most exceptional period of rainfall in 248 years”. Yep, it seems the weather is set to carry on spoiling our summer barbecues and putting paid to our t-shirt suntans unless attitudes towards energy efficiency in the home begin to change.

Considering the often disagreeable climate then, it’s no surprise conservatories are the latest must have addition for the discerning homeowner, with over 200,000 new structures popping up each year. But before you rush out to Conservatories R Us clutching a sodden clump of £50 notes and a thirst for additional living space, the energy efficiency requirements must first be considered ….

Heating and Cooling
We all know the Earth revolves around the sun (don’t we?). As such, it should be fairly obvious that where your conservatory is placed will determine your heating and cooling needs.

This is important because of the amount of energy you’ll potentially use – and its effect on the environment. Interestingly, 28 per cent of the UK’s CO2 output comes from the energy we consume in our homes, but erecting a conservatory can actually SLASH your emissions. How? Because your conservatory offers protection from the cold during the winter months, playing its part in keeping the rest of the home warm and negating the need to fiddle with the thermostat.

Importantly, if your conservatory faces south, it’s going to get pretty warm in there. This isn’t all bad, though, as the heat from the conservatory will also warm up the interior of your property. For this to work effectively, the conservatory and the main part of your home must have doors separating them, and vents and blinds in place to stop it becoming unbearably hot.

Glass, Blinds and Vents
Of course, no conservatory is complete without glass – but, for the eco-friendly among us, any old glass simply won’t do. Instead, it’s important to opt for glass replete with a low U-Factor, as this type of glazing offers much higher levels of energy efficiency. Not only that, it will help keep your conservatory cool during particularly warm periods, which means your costly air conditioning unit can continue gathering dust in the garage.

As far as blinds go, you can choose from roller or vertical, with both options helping to reduce the amount of sunlight seeping in, allowing you to control the temperature of the room.

Finally, it’s vital your conservatory is kitted out with vents and louvers to let fresh air into the space, lest you choke on your own sense of self satisfaction at your eco-friendly ways …