Sustainable Sunlounge & Conservatory Planning

The conservatory market has really taken off over the last few years and it’s a trend that’s unlikely to stop anytime soon. Indeed, adding a conservatory or sun lounge to a house is currently considered as one of the best, most profitable home improvements.

Not only they are extremely versatile spaces, they also offer some of the highest returns on investment. But what about sustainability? Is it possible to build an eco-friendly conservatory without losing out on versatility?

Thanks to the latest material innovations, a sunlounge can nowadays easily play an important part in making your home much more energy efficient and ultimately, greener.

1. Save on your energy bills

Contrarily to a basic conservatory, a green sunlounge will take a considerable chunk off your current energy bills by reducing by up to 50% the overall heating requirements thanks to thermally efficient doors and windows.

2. An extra room to use all year round

Thanks to its temperature-regulating properties, a green conservatory remains a very versatile room to be used all year round. In the summer months, rolling blinds and curtains on the windows and on the roof can help avoid excessive heating.

You can also reduce the heat thanks to extractor fans in the upper part of the sunlounge. In winter, well-insulated windows will help keep the cold at bay. For optimum insulation, look out for argon gas filled windows: inert gases such as argon act as a very efficient barrier against temperature changes at all times.

3. Green materials: a few options

Aluminium is one of the most popular materials for conservatories, but it’s also among the greenest and most sustainable options. It’s recyclable and low-maintenance, without the need to use polluting products.

Wood is probably the most used material in green, bioclimatic conservatories and sunlounges. Indeed, its aesthetic qualities coupled with extremely efficient insulation properties make it ideal for sustainable conservatory planning.

The only downside being its maintenance: wood needs to be treated at least once a year with a layer of specific varnish or paint.

5. Go the extra mile with solar panels

Your conservatory could also produce electricity thanks to the installation of solar panels on the roof. The solar technology industry is growing and residential solar panels are more popular and more accessible than ever.

Solar panels companies have seriously shifted their interest towards homeowners by making their products more aesthetically pleasing. What’s more, they also are easier to incorporate into your conservatory design: you can now find panels that are transparent or semi-transparent, a far-cry from their previously bulky looks.

Despite higher initial costs, solar panels can earn you money in the long run by selling any energy excess back to the grid. The only main requirements for mounting solar panels to the roof of your conservatory is that it needs to be facing south, for a relatively constant supply of sunlight.