Windows and doors are among the most influential building elements in determining both environmental performance and occupant wellbeing. Choosing them thoughtfully directly supports healthier, lower-carbon buildings that are good for us and good for the planet.
Sustainable windows and doors begin with responsibly sourced and low-embodied-carbon materials — FSC-certified timber, recycled aluminium, or fibreglass composites — paired with high-performance glazing such as double or triple glazing with low-emissivity (low-e) coatings. These technologies dramatically reduce heat transfer, cutting heating and cooling loads and the associated greenhouse gas emissions. Durable, well-designed frames and seals also minimise replacement cycles, reducing resource consumption over the lifetime of a building. Certifications such as ENERGY STAR, Window Energy Rating Scheme (WERS) in Australia, and LEED-compliant specifications provide a rigorous benchmark for evaluating environmental performance, while lifecycle assessments help designers and specifiers choose products with the lowest overall impact from manufacture through to end-of-life recyclability.
The wellness benefits of high-performance windows and doors are equally compelling. Adequate daylighting — optimised through thoughtful window placement, sizing, and glazing specification — reduces reliance on artificial lighting, supports circadian rhythms, and has been directly linked to improved mood, productivity, and sleep quality. Low-VOC seals, coatings, and framing materials safeguard indoor air quality, while acoustic-rated glazing and door assemblies protect occupants from external noise pollution, a growing concern in urban environments. Operable windows that enable natural ventilation further reduce dependence on mechanical air conditioning, improving both air freshness and thermal comfort. Together, these passive and material-based strategies make windows and doors a critical lever in creating buildings that are genuinely good for people and the planet.
Order on Planitree here: https://planitree.com/windows-and-doors-2
