Whether the temperature outside is hot or cold, depending on seasonal or geographical location, homeowners have the daunting task of finding enough money in their budgets to pay the high costs of heating and air-conditioning their homes. What beautiful way can homeowners alleviate this problem, not only for themselves, but also for the environment?

      A study done by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), concluded that buildings use roughly 40% of all energy consumed in the United States. Windows are the holes where energy drains out . Window coverings, for example blinds, shades, shadings, and shutters, can act as valves that help control energy flow in and out of windows. The more energy efficient the windows and window treatments are, the less energy and less cost it takes to heat and cool a home.

      Some treatments are more energy efficient than others, so it is very important to check a product’s R-value and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) rating. R-value is a measure of a product’s ability to resist heat flow, which is especially important in the cold winter months. Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) is the amount of solar heat that passes through a window which is very important in the hot summer months.  Another consideration is direct sunlight. It simply creates too much contrast in a room. Dark areas seem darker and sunlit bright areas are harsh and glaring. The goals of what is called “Daylighting” are to even the intensity of incoming light and bring it deeper into the room. The best way to do this is by diffusing the light. This will help make the most use of natural lighting and save on energy use as well.

     There are several window covering manufacturers that make energy efficient products, for example, Hunter Douglas, Graber, Levelor, Bali and more. We could compare like products from all of these companies, for their energy efficiency, but that could be an article in itself. Therefore, for the sake of time and keeping things simple, the product line of Hunter Douglas will be used, by way of example.

     The most insulating Hunter Douglas product is the Duette Architella honeycomb shade. Its honeycomb within a honeycomb design has three distinct air pockets that provide increased insulation. The walls of a contemporary home typically have an R-value of 19, while standard double-pane windows only have an R-value of about 2. A Duette Architella honeycomb shade can add up to four points to a window’s R-value, tripling the energy efficiency of a standard double-pane window and cutting heat loss through it by up to two-thirds. This increased insulation could make quite an impact on utility bills.

     Solar heat gain is measured by a coefficient from 0-1 that tells us what fraction of solar energy hitting the window actually enters the home. Lower numbers are better. Standard double-pane windows have a SHGC of 0.76: meaning 76% gets into the home. Add Hunter Douglas Luminette Privacy Sheers and the number drops to as low as 0.20; only 20% of the solar energy enters the home to become heat.  When choosing products with louvers, slats or vanes, white or light colors should be chosen. In hot weather, it’s important to reflect as much solar energy as possible right back out the window before it becomes heat.

     Diffusion or “Daylighting” is a bending of light, causing it to scatter in multiple directions. Hunter Douglas Silhouette window shadings do an excellent job of diffusing harsh sunlight, evening it out and making it softer, while also providing excellent UV protection for furnishings. Silhouette shadings are also widely considered one of the most exceptionally beautiful window fashions in the world. Other excellent products for “daylighting” are Hunter Douglas Pirouette window shadings, Luminette Privacy Sheers, and Duette honeycomb shades in light colors and translucent fabric choices.

     Insulation, solar heat control and daylighting are three important energy-efficient functions that need to be considered when choosing a window covering to help defray home energy costs. All of the Hunter Douglas Window Coverings serve at least one of these functions. Of course there’s more to facing up to today’s energy challenges than choosing the right window covering, but  doing so can certainly add to conserving and saving home energy usage and costs.