Energy Costs versus House Prices

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

You want to be comfortable in your home, right? To have a fairly even temperature is one of the things which make a house a healthy, comfortable place to live in. If your house is insulated the costs for heating and cooling are low, meanwhile, if your house is not insulated your costs for heating and cooling are high. Home-ownership is still the goal of many Australians. Many get into the housing market by buying a relatively ‘cheaply’ built house. But those are the ones who will be out of pocket for high energy costs the rest of their lives

RACV Tiny Home Open this weekend

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

The RACV Tiny Home is on display this weekend from 10am to 4pm behind Her Majesty’s Theatre as part of Open House Melbourne. Designed by architect Peter Maddison from Grand Designs Australia, it features a Paarhammer bi-fold door as part of sustainable living. Using smart design principles and carefully chosen materials, this concept showcases what contributes to creating a home that is not only comfortable to live in but more affordable to run. The floor space of the Tiny Home is just 18.75 square meter with a head space of 3.6 meter, the weight is 7.5 tonnes and it features

Energy Performance of Buildings

Thursday, July 05, 2018

New rules by the European Commission will make existing buildings in Europe smarter and more energy efficient, saving money and creating jobs in the renovation and construction sector. How about in Australia? Like the EU countries, Australia has signed the Paris Agreement, promising to decrease emissions and energy use. Buildings are the culprit everywhere and windows are a big part of that. As the population increases, Australia needs an additional 185,000 new dwellings every year. We also have a large stock of existing dwellings that have been built without energy efficiency in mind. The recently ratified rules of the European

Correct Ventilation and Energy Efficiency

Thursday, June 07, 2018

Well sealed windows and high energy glazing save energy and provide a comfortable living environment – and that’s how the danger of mould growth increases. This seeming contrast is easy to explain. During the normal use of a living space large amounts of steam are released, e.g. through cooking, washing, showering or washing dishes. Also every human dispenses about ½ litre of water through the skin and even more than 1 litre through breathing into the air. On average we release about 10 litres of humidity into the air each day per person, including our activities. But the air cannot

Keep warm this winter

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Paarhammer run their window manufacturing facilities sustainably, including their waste reduction system. All sawdust and offcuts are shredded and compressed into wood briquettes. No glue is used, only high pressure, and the outcome are briquettes with a density and heat output equal to Redgum. These briquettes are offered to the public in spud crates of around 800-900kg. They are suitable for all wood heaters, so why not stay warm this winter and do something for the environment at the same time. Get your box of wood-briquettes for just $83 per around 1m3 including GST. Pick-up only, please call 03 53681999

Komfortline

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Increased energy costs, an increased awareness of our environment, the costs of home building or renovating, and the need to reduce these costs where possible are all common factors facing builders and home owners. Now there is a cost effective way to get the results you want without the price tag.  Komfortline by Paarhammer, is the perfect solution for conscientious builders looking for energy efficient products and ways to value add for their clients, and home owners looking for budget friendly windows and doors. Sanded, primed and paint ready, the range comprises of double glazed European style tilt turn windows, fixed

Latest Trends from Europe

Monday, April 09, 2018

A recent visit to the world’s largest window fair Fensterbau Frontale 2018 in Germany revealed the latest trends in windows and doors. The main focus was on integrated drainage for level threshold doors, airtight window installation, sophisticated entrance door designs, burglary resistance and shading options, as well as smart home and automation solutions. Thresholds Whether it be hinged doors or sliding doors, the trend towards level thresholds has been noticed here in Australia over the last few years. However there was also a high chance of water penetration issues during heavy downpours. A number of companies have now invested time

Window Coverings for Tilt & Turn Windows and Doors

Monday, January 15, 2018

We often get asked what to do with curtains or blinds when we make tilt and turn windows for our clients. Here are some possible answers including the latest in window furnishings. With a double or triple glazed Paarhammer window you should only need curtains or blinds for privacy and decoration, not for insulation to keep the cold or heat out. Having said that, it is always important to shade your windows from the summer sun with the best results achieved by external shading, especially on the western side of your home. Curtains for tilt & turn windows How far

New Building Regulations coming soon

Sunday, October 08, 2017

At the recent conference of the Australian Windows Association (AWA), new upcoming building regulations were announced. Policy changes to enable greenhouse gas reductions are being discussed with changes for commercial buildings possible as early as 2019 as per the Australian Building Codes Board 2017. Residential building requirement changes may be introduced in 2022. Other key points are to recognise NABERS Energy and Green Star as compliance options, and ensuring that residential buildings perform well year round. These will soon be reflected in the National Construction Code, and State and Territory specific regulations.  Buildings are responsible for 30% of greenhouse gas

Energy Efficient Video Series

Monday, September 11, 2017

  Video 1: High Level Energy Efficiency This video provides information on what is driving the requirement for energy efficiency, including the 2015 Paris Agreement; general energy policy; aims for future energy targets and compliance with the National Construction Code and state and territory specific regulations. Video 2: The science of energy and energy efficiency The science of energy and energy efficiency is investigates here and it includes information on the factors that affect energy requirements including in depth information on the physics behind window performance U-Values (comparison to R-values); Solar Heat Gain Co-efficient; low-E coatings; double glazing and triple

Residential Scorecard for Victoria

Monday, November 28, 2016

The Victorian Government has been moving ahead with the development of a Residential Efficiency Scorecard (the Scorecard). While the Scorecard is targeted at existing homes, it can also be used to assess new homes. The Scorecard is a web based tool that will enable a trained assessor to identify and record information about the fabric of a home (including fixed appliances) where it affects the energy or hot weather performance. The Scorecard tool will then produce a rating for the home, a hot weather rating, rate individual home features and provide recommendations on upgrade options. The Scorecard is currently being

Wood: Australia's most loved material

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Wood continues to grow as the most loved material among Australians. In a recent survey WoodSolutions found that most Australians are likely to choose wood over other materials for various uses. Wood remains the most loved material and is unmatched on attributes relating to aesthetics and sustainability. Wood is seen as far more natural, warm, timeless, uplifting and versatile than other materials.    Almost half of consumers love wood (47%), compared to 25% for the closest competitor (modified wood), 9% love steel, 7% aluminium and only 2% plastic. Advantages of using timber Wood has unique characteristics and offers several environmental advantages: