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Less Energy Use and Lower Emissions
In-home heating and cooling systems make up a large chunk of an average Melbourne household's energy consumption and windows are the primary reason. Single-glazed windows are responsible for up to 40% of heat loss in winter and a big portion of heat gain in summer, meaning heating and cooling systems need to work harder to maintain a comfortable temperature.
Retrofit double glazing addresses this directly. By reducing heat loss through your windows by up to 75%, you can use your heater less frequently and for shorter periods in winter. The Low-E coating in our LightBridge/Optitherm units blocks solar heat gain in summer, reducing reliance on your air conditioner. The combined effect is a reduction in heating and cooling energy usage of up to 60%.
For a typical Melbourne household, this can mean a significant reduction in both energy bills and household carbon emissions. In Victoria, where the electricity grid still draws significantly on fossil fuels, reducing household energy consumption has a direct and measurable impact on your environmental footprint.
A Snapshot:
Up to 75% reduction in heat loss through windows
Up to 60% reduction in heating and cooling energy usage
Significant reduction in household carbon emissions year after year
Less Waste Than Full Window Replacement
Full window replacement is one of the most wasteful home renovation options available. Every window that is replaced generates significant material waste:
Original timber frames, often decades or centuries old, are removed and sent to landfill
New frames, most commonly uPVC or aluminium, require significant energy and raw materials to manufacture
The embodied carbon of manufacturing, transporting, and installing new window frames is substantial
Retrofit double glazing avoids all of this. Our process replaces only the glass within your existing timber frames. Every original frame stays exactly where it is, and the only material removed from your home is the old single-glazed glass, which is recycled wherever possible.
For Melbourne's period and heritage homes, where original timber frames are often 80 to 150 years old, retaining these frames is the more sustainable choice.
Timber of this age, properly maintained, is a high-quality, durable material that should be preserved rather than replaced.
| Retrofit Double Glazing | Full Window Replacement | |
|---|---|---|
| Original frames retained | Yes | No |
| Timber sent to landfill | No | Yes |
| New frames manufactured | No | Yes |
| Embodied carbon | Low | High |
| Glass recycled | Yes | Partial |
| Energy reduction | Up to 60% | Up to 60% |
| Cost | Significantly lower | Significantly higher |
Preserving Original Timber: A Sustainability Benefit in Itself
Original timber window frames found in Melbourne's period homes are a resource worth protecting. Old-growth timber of the quality used in Victorian and Edwardian construction is no longer commercially available, and the energy embodied in processing and seasoning timber of this age represents a genuine environmental asset.
Replacing these frames with new uPVC or aluminium frames discards this embodied value and introduces new materials that, particularly in the case of uPVC, have significant environmental costs in their manufacture and limited recyclability at end of life.
Our retrofit approach treats these original frames as the valuable resource they are. We work within them, upgrade the glass, and leave them in place for another generation.
A Smaller Carbon Footprint, a More Comfortable Home
Sustainability and comfort don’t have to be competing priorities. Retrofit double glazing can deliver both. The same installation that reduces your carbon footprint also makes your home warmer in winter, cooler in summer, quieter year-round, and reduces condensation.
Backed by Quality and Built to Last
A sustainable product is one that lasts. Every RetroFit Double Glaze installation is backed by a lifetime workmanship warranty and a 10-year IGU warranty, ensuring your double glazed windows continue to perform at their best for decades. Our solid bedding process, the same technique used in new high-quality window fabrication, delivers a more durable result than gasket-based alternatives, which are subject to shrinkage and deterioration over time.
A longer-lasting installation means fewer replacements, less waste, and a better return on both your financial and environmental investment.
Book a free, no-obligation measure and quote and find out how retrofit double glazing can reduce your energy consumption, lower your carbon footprint, and improve the comfort of your Melbourne home.
Double Glaze for Better Home Insulation Performance
RetroFit Double Glaze has been helping Melbourne homeowners achieve quieter, more comfortable, more cost-efficient and healthier homes since 2011. Our double glazing installations are backed by a lifetime workmanship warranty and a 10-year IGU warranty.
Book a free, no-obligation measure and quote or try our double glazing cost calculator to find out how retrofit double glazing can transform the insulation performance of your Melbourne home.
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