How to make your home more energy efficient - from insulation to window coverings?

Home should be a haven and it is important to feel comfortable – not too hot in summer or too cold in winter, or at night. As living costs and climate change have a growing impact, many of us are also looking to reduce our energy consumption – and make savings. 

Thermal comfort refers to how comfortable you feel in a particular environment. For you, the temperature is just right. The exact conditions that feel pleasant are personal and subjective – although based on objective factors:

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• Indoor temperature – usually 19-20°C depending on the season and room, 17°C is ideal for your bedroom.
• Infrared radiation (wall temperature) – cold walls absorb body heat leading to a lower perceived temperature
• Solar radiation (through your windows)
• Humidity levels between 45% and 60% – higher levels can create an uncomfortable “cold” feeling
• Air speed (draughts) – unwanted air movements can also increase discomfort
• Not forgetting your metabolism and clothing choices

Did you know?

Raising the temperature by 1°C from 20 to 21°C means you will use 7% more energy to heat your home. At night or when you’re away, dropping the temperature by 2-3°C will reduce your heating bills and provide a comfortable temperature for sleeping.

What Can You Do to Increase Thermal Comfort & Energy Efficiency?

Controlling factors like indoor temperature and solar radiation will help you feel just right – as well as reducing how much energy you use. Although wearing an extra jumper can make a difference, significant improvements usually require more drastic measures.

• Insulating Your Walls and Roof

Much of the heat produced by your heating system escapes if your home doesn’t have a proper “envelope”. The first step is therefore to insulate the roof, as it is the biggest source of heat loss – given that warm air rises. Your exterior and interior walls can introduce thermal bridges, gaps or weak spots in the building’s thermal envelope that take heat straight outside. Installing appropriate insulation eliminates these gaps.

• Changing Your Heating System

Once the roof and walls are properly insulated, you can think about improving or replacing the heating system. New-generation systems provide gentle heat throughout your home, for example, air-to-water heat pumps and pellet-fired boilers. Ask a professional for advice to choose and install the most appropriate solution. Many advanced systems also feature air temperature sensors, programmable thermostats and thermostatic valves to further optimise heat distribution.

• Insulating Windows and Adding Automated Coverings

Given that 15% heat is lost through glazing and joinery, it is also essential to insulate your windows. For optimum results, it is usually best to replace the entire window including the pane and frame. Adding window coverings, like roller shutters or external venetian blinds, helps make your home cooler in summer and keep warm air inside in winter. Automating your coverings enhances these benefits by closing and opening the shutters at just the right moment.

In summer first and in winter then:                                                 

What Difference Do Automated Window Coverings Make?

In winter, they reduce the amount of heat you use by up to 30%*
In summer, they reduce your air conditioning usage by up to 70%*
During heatwaves, they limit warming inside by 4°C to 7°C**

Intuitive Automation for Energy Efficiency and Thermal Comfort, All Year 

So, the good news is that automating your motorised window coverings enhances your wellbeing and reduces your energy bills. But where do you start?  We recommend contacting a certified installer who can help you choose (and then install) your Somfy motorised sun protection with the right automation solution for you.

For example, installing Amy® sun protect io – our smart device embedded with an indoor temperature sensor and onboard intelligence system – makes your motorised sun protection smart. So that it automatically lowers before the room gets too hot during a heatwave.

Amy® sun protect io, as well as all Amy 1 channel versions, provide data to enhance our our smart home solution, TaHoma® switch. Offering you advanced automation all year round – both in summer and winter. The smart control and app enable you to manage and control all your connected devices, wherever you are. Using the pre-set Thermal Comfort scene in the TaHoma® app, you can easily automate your window coverings according to the season and time of day. They will automatically adjust to the right position, at the right moment, even when you are not at home.

Installing sensors, like Sunteis® io or the RS100 solar panel, provides additional data, such as indoor & outdoor temperature and sunlight, to make your automated sun protection system even more precise. They also enable you to find the right balance between thermal and visual comfort.

Choosing Your Level of Automation

With a growing choice of motorised products powered by automated solutions, it’s never been easier to tailor your approach. So, you benefit from the level of automation – from simple to advanced – that suits you and your home. So, you feel more comfortable and use less energy during heatwaves and every day of the year.

Looking to make home feel even more like a haven? Keen to make smart energy savings without having to think about it? 

Contact a certified installer near you

*Compared to manual solutions. Somfy simulations implemented with the support of Carbone 4. Depending on a house’s size, geolocation, year of construction, window equipment (roller shutter, EVB), 2021

**Maximum temperature compared to a house not equipped with sun protection. TBC study for the French Building Federation: Analysis of the energy contribution of roller shutters normative & regulatory study, 2010