More than 1,000 homeowners in Ireland have made significant savings after switching to ultra-low emissivity glazing from Pilkington United Kingdom Limited.

The retro-fit milestone was achieved by Irish company, Energlaze, and reflects increasing appetites in the domestic market for energy efficiency.

Installers at Energlaze specified Pilkington Optitherm™ S1 Plus for each of the 1,000 homes.

The reason this glass was chosen is that it provides consumers with the opportunity to retrofit their existing window frames with a new double-glazed unit that offers a U-value of just 1.0 W/m2K. Previously these type of efficiencies could only be achieved using triple glazing.

The other great news is that as only the glass is changed there is no need to redecorate, and in most cases the job can be completed in under a day. It also costs up to 50% less than new windows.

Homeowners who replaced poor-performing glazing with the low-emissivity insulated glass units (IGUs) have seen a 64 per cent reduction in energy loss, amounting to a potential saving of up to €400 per year on heating bills.

Phil Brown, European technical advisory manager at Pilkington United Kingdom Limited, said: “It’s encouraging to see increasing numbers of homeowners investing in long-term financial and energy savings, as well as enjoying the increased comfort that comes from having a more energy-efficient home.”

Peter Campbell, director at Energlaze, added: “Reaching the 1,000th retrofitted home is a real achievement for all involved and reflects the growing demand for energy-efficient housing stock.

“Feedback from our customers has been fantastic with the majority reporting warmer and more comfortable homes.

“Our sales team has seen an increase in enquiries from homeowners interested in the benefits of advanced glazing in older properties, and with Pilkington Optitherm™ S1 Plus, we’re providing them with the best possible thermal performance, regardless of the age of the property.”