Frame System Comparison

What Air infiltration, thermal efficiency and noise insulation are and how uPVC is of benefit.

Air Infiltration

Air infiltration refers to the unintentional or uncontrolled exchange of air between the interior and exterior of a building through gaps, cracks, joints, or other openings in the building envelope. These openings can occur around windows, doors, vents, electrical outlets, plumbing penetrations, and other structural elements. This can cause issues like energy loss due to additional heating or cooling requirement, drafts and discomfort for occupants, and poor indoor quality.

Thermal Efficiency

In the context of buildings and construction, thermal efficiency typically refers to the effectiveness of a building’s envelope (walls, roof, windows, doors, insulation, etc.) in preventing heat transfer between the interior and exterior environments. Enhancing thermal efficiency in buildings not only reduces energy consumption and utility costs but also improves occupant comfort, promotes environmental sustainability, and contributes to overall building durability and resilience. While just 8% of a building’s outer shell is made up of windows, they are the source of almost 40% of heat losses. Thermal efficiency of uPVC double glazed windows is measured through U-Value (Uw) SHGC. U-Value is a measure of the rate at which non-solar heat is lost or gained through the window unit. The lower the U-value, the greater a window’s resistance to heat flow and the better its ability to insulate. Solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) is a measure of how readily heat from direct sunlight flows through a window system. SHGC is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The lower a window’s SHGC, the less solar heat it transmits. For a climate like Sydney (hot & humid), lower SHGC is preferred. For climates like that in Canberra (colder climates), comparatively higher SHGC is preferred.

Noise Insulation

Noise insulation, while referring to external windows & doors means how much outside noise is blocked through the window (frame and glass). Double or triple-glazed windows with laminated (acoustic) or specialized glass can significantly reduce the transmission of outside noise into a building.

uPVC windows with multichambered profiles, that act as thermal and acoustic barriers, and fitted with double or triple glazing and specialised sealing gaskets, provide excellent insulation against extreme weather conditions, excessive outside noise, and air infiltration and drafts.
We can provide products with U-Value as low as 1.1, minimum SHGC = 0.12 and maximum SHGC = 0.57, and Acoustic Performance – 51 dB.  Our standard double-glazed windows have performance values – U-Val = 2.2 and SHGC = 0.40, and Acoustic rating of 32 dB.