Rehau is advising installers and fabricators to adapt their portfolios to meet rising demand for high-performance frames sympathetic to traditional housing designs in the wake of the government’s new energy efficiency drive for historic homes.
Announced by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the review will look to tackle barriers to making houses built before 1919 more energy-efficient in line with the UK’s net zero emissions commitments.
Russell Hand, head of product management and technical at Rehau UK, said: “It is well-known that retrofitting historic buildings, including listed properties and those in conservation areas, can pose unique challenges for both the homeowners and project stakeholders. This new drive from the government should therefore be welcomed as a key step to ensuring energy-efficient housing in line with legislation such as the Future Homes Standard.
“However, the drive to make these structures fit for the future should not come at the cost of their aesthetic appeal. As a key factor in building thermal performance, windows should be one of the first structural components to be considered for upgrading work. Consequently, window fitters and fabricators would benefit from including frames in their portfolio that can assuage concerns over ugly or inappropriate retrofits if they are to win new business from people who own or live in historic homes.”
