Upscaling high-performance windows in Victoria
Abstract
The housing market in Victoria (and across Australia) is dominated by single pane windows. Windows are a typical thermal weak spot in design and performance and are associated with up to 40% of heat loss, and up to 87% of heat gain in Australian housing. High-performance windows provide an opportunity to both address this problem and provide additional benefits of improved comfort and liveability to the residents.
This report presents research into the current state of the high-performance window industry in Victoria. The primary focus was on mapping the industry and identifying practical non-regulatory interventions to support the upscaling of high-performance windows for new residential homes. The project investigated the Victorian high-performance window market using data from new home constructions and wider available data sets, interviews and a workshop with key window industry stakeholders, and interviews with participants of the Sustainability Victoria 7 Star Homes program.
The research identified that governments can use mechanisms such as financial incentives, education programs, and quality assurance to support regulations and drive the uptake of high-performance windows.