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Homeowners’ Growing Preference for High-Efficiency Windows

News Desk
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Homeowners’ Growing Preference for High-Efficiency Windows

The BBC recently reported a surge in interest amongst homeowners for windows with low U-values, signifying a shift towards greater energy efficiency awareness.

One Sheffield homeowner’s story, featured in the report, illustrates this trend. They chose triple glazing instead of double, contrary to local installers’ advice. The decision has led to substantial energy bill reductions and improved home comfort. The homeowner expressed, “This decision has paid big dividends.”

While the current Building Regulations in England & Wales stipulate a maximum U-value of 1.4 W/m2K for windows, many homeowners are opting for more efficient solutions. This pursuit of quality is evident in the rising demand for windows that surpass the regulatory minimum.

Experts in the industry predict a future reduction in U-value standards to possibly 0.8 W/m2K. The last amendment to Approved Document L in 2023 only slightly reduced the U-value limit for windows from 1.4 to 1.2 W/m2K, but the general trend indicates an increase in thermal performance expectations.

Homeowners now have access to a wide range of high-performance glazing products, including triple glazing and advanced double glazing solutions with U-values of 1.0 W/m2K or lower. Planitherm One by Saint-Gobain Glass is an example, offering reduced heat transfer and solar gain control, suitable for various windows and doors.

Planitherm One has gained popularity for its clear vision and light transmission properties and is increasingly used in both double and triple glazed units to achieve U-values as low as 0.7.

Products like Planitherm One and Planitherm Total Plus, a leading glass product for standard double glazing in the UK, have significantly contributed to the industry’s enhanced performance.

While emerging technologies like vacuum glazing offer great potential, their high cost limits mass market appeal. In contrast, Planitherm’s versatility, including its application in integral blind units, makes it a practical choice for achieving high energy efficiency standards.

Morley Glass, a leading UK manufacturer of bespoke integral blinds using ScreenLine® systems, incorporates Planitherm in many of its products, aligning with the trend towards energy-efficient and aesthetically pleasing homes.

For detailed insights into selecting the right glass for low U-value windows and doors, visit www.morleyglass.co.uk.

Djokovic wins record seventh ATP Finals title by sweeping Sinner aside, inches clear of Federer

Harry Carr
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Djokovic wins record seventh ATP Finals title by sweeping Sinner aside, inches clear of Federer

Novak Djokovic moved clear of Roger Federer outright by winning a record seventh title at the ATP Finals on Sunday, crushing Jannik Sinner in straights sets in front of the Italian’s home crowd in Turin.

Sinner beat Djokovic for the first time in his career in the group stage on Tuesday, but he never looked likely to repeat that success in Sunday’s final as the reigning champion dominated from the off to claim a 6-3 6-3 win.

Djokovic rattled off two straightforward holds of serve before making the breakthrough in the fourth game, with Sinner left to rue his failure to challenge a shot being incorrectly called long to give Djokovic break point, the 36-year-old taking full advantage.

The Serbian continued to dictate proceedings, looking untouchable on his own serve and provoking a mixed response from the crowd when he celebrated one Sinner error with a huge roar. Sinner pulled wide on set point to hand Djokovic the opener, and there was no let-up in the second set.

Djokovic broke to love in the very first game of the second set, besting Sinner over several long rallies in what represented an ominous sign for the Italian. Indeed, the 24-time grand slam winner took the first 10 points of the second set before Sinner narrowly fended off a potential double break.

Sinner finally challenged on the Djokovic serve in the sixth game of the set, bringing up two break points only to see the world number one fight back to hold with a terrific backhand down the line.

Sinner then held at the end of a remarkable 15-minute game, which featured one staggering miss from Djokovic at the net, but the 36-year-old recovered with another tense hold before wrapping up the win with another break, Sinner’s outing being summed up by a double fault on championship point.

Djokovic’s victory caps one of the best years of his career, with the Serbian also reaching the finals of all four grand slams and only losing one, finishing on the wrong end of July’s epic contest against Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon.

Euro 2024 Qualifying: North Macedonia v England – preview, team news and prediction

Kyle Goldsmith
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Euro 2024 Qualifying: North Macedonia v England – preview, team news and prediction

England will look to bounce back from a flat display against Malta as they finish their Euro 2024 qualification campaign away at North Macedonia in Skopje on Monday.

Gareth Southgate was left frustrated as his England side were below par in beating Malta 2-0 on Friday, producing just three shots on target at Wembley Stadium against a side ranked 171st in the world.

The victory did secure top spot in Group C, however, and the Three Lions will look to finish the qualification campaign unbeaten before the preparations for the tournament in Germany resume next March.

England thrashed North Macedonia 7-0 at Old Trafford back in June as Bukayo Saka netted the first hat-trick of his career, and Southgate’s men will look to put in a similar performance to that on Monday, rather than the one seen at Wembley on Friday.

North Macedonia’s hopes of making it to Germany next year are already over with just two victories from their seven qualifiers, both coming against Malta, though they will hope to end the campaign on a high by taking the scalp of the fourth-ranked side in the world.

England need just a point to secure their place in Pot 1 for the Euro 2024 draw next month, though Southgate will be gunning for all three with a strong performance to boot after Friday’s underwhelming outing.

Team News

Monday’s game could see the return of the likes of Saka and Declan Rice, with the Arsenal pair both coming off the bench against Malta.

Marcus Rashford went off injured in that game and is unlikely to feature against North Macedonia with Jack Grealish potentially his replacement, though Cole Palmer could be in line to make an appearance after earning his first cap against Malta.

Rico Lewis and Ezri Konsa are both in the squad for the first time and will be hoping to get on the pitch to earn their maiden caps, both profiting from injuries to the likes of Luke Shaw and John Stones that kept them out of Southgate’s selection for this November international break. Kieran Trippier left the squad on Sunday because of a personal matter and will be unavailable.

For North Macedonia, Jani Atanasov scored his first senior international goals by netting a double off the bench in Friday’s 5-2 defeat at Italy. He is likely to come into the starting XI, with Milan Ristovski and Stefan Ashkovski also competing to start.

Former Leeds United man Ezgjan Alioski could start again, as will Napoli’s Eljif Elmas, while Enis Bardhi will likely captain the side.

Head-to-Head Record

England have never lost to North Macedonia, winning three of the five meetings between the sides and thumping them 7-0 in the last clash at Old Trafford. The Three Lions have won on both of their previous visits to Skopje.

What’s been said?

North Macedonia head coach Blagoja Milevski: “We learn from every game, including the one at Old Trafford, we made a lot of changes and now I think our selection has a new face with young players who brought a lot of positive energy.”

England manager Gareth Southgate: “We want to go into the tournament unbeaten. We have some tough games coming up. It’s good for us to be away from Wembley again, in a challenging environment because that’s where we’ll be next summer.”

Prediction – 3-0 England

Even with an out-of-sorts display last time out, England should have far too much for a North Macedonia side already out of contention for a place at Euro 2024.  Southgate will be looking for some of his fringe players to step up and stake their claim for a spot in his squad for the tournament in Germany as England try and finally get over the hump at a major tournament.

Cricket World Cup: ‘A lot better than being sat on the couch’ – Australia hero Head in disbelief after final century

Harry Carr
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Cricket World Cup: ‘A lot better than being sat on the couch’ – Australia hero Head in disbelief after final century

Travis Head was in disbelief after hitting a brilliant century in Australia’s Cricket World Cup final win over India, revealing he did not even expect to feature at the tournament after suffering a fractured hand in September.

Head missed the first five games of Australia’s World Cup campaign after sustaining the injury in a one-day international against South Africa in mid-September, flying out to India late before finally returning to action against New Zealand on October 28.

Less than a month after marking his comeback with a crucial 109 against the Black Caps, the left-hander hit another ton to help decide Sunday’s World Cup final.

Coming after Jasprit Bumrah reduced Australia to 47-3, Head’s brilliant 137 off 120 dashed any hopes of an Indian revival as Australia cruised to their target of 240, capturing a record-extending sixth title with a six-wicket win.

Head fell just short of capping his incredible display with a trophy-clinching six when he was caught by Shubman Gill on the penultimate ball of the match, but that couldn’t sour a remarkable day for the 29-year-old.

Speaking to reporters amid Australia’s celebrations, Head said: “Not in a million years did I think that would happen! What an amazing day. I’m just thrilled to be a part of it.

“It is a lot better than being sat on the couch at home! I’m very lucky that everything went well and I was able to get back and the support that the boys showed… I didn’t think this would happen.

“I was nervous in the first 20 balls but Marnus [Labuschagne] batted brilliantly and it is great to bat with him. It was an amazing partnership.”

Exceptional displays with the ball helped Australia set the tone, with Mitchell Starc finishing with a hat-trick while Josh Hazlewood and skipper Pat Cummins added two wickets apiece after putting India in to bat.

“We knew the wicket might get tough but it turned out to be a great decision to bowl first because the pitch did get better as the day went on,” Head added.

“What we did at the toss paid dividends. Nice to be a part of it and play a role. It will be a good few days now!”

Head might have been denied the decisive boundary late on, with Glenn Maxwell finishing things off after his departure, but he did have a moment to savour in the field.

His stunning diving catch to account for Rohit Sharma set the tone as the Australian attack tore through the hosts with the ball, and Head was as surprised as anyone that he managed to cling on.

“Rohit Sharma was probably the unluckiest man in the world!” he said.

“I do work hard on my catching but I couldn’t imagine holding onto that. It is a nice thing I’ll be able to look back on later in my life.”

Cricket World Cup: Head century guides Australia to record-extending sixth crown as India fall short in final

Harry Carr
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Cricket World Cup: Head century guides Australia to record-extending sixth crown as India fall short in final

Australia won the Cricket World Cup for a record-extending sixth time as Travis Head’s century helped them complete a successful chase against previously unbeaten hosts India in Sunday’s final in Ahmedabad.

India’s bid to capture their first world title since 2011 on home soil got off to a decent start as captain Rohit Sharma helped them overcome the early loss of Shubman Gill to reach 76-1, but fine performances with the ball from Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins saw Australia take control of the contest.

Two wickets within the space of four balls put India in trouble before the end of the 11th over, and their scoring slowed as Australia excelled in the field from there, eventually bowling their hosts out for 240.

India might have hoped that total would be enough when Jasprit Bumrah’s double helped them reduce the Aussies to 47-3 within seven overs, but Head stepped in to form an excellent partnership with Marnus Labuschagne and snuff out the hosts’ hopes of a revival.

Head’s magnificent 137 off 120 silenced the 130,000-strong home crowd at the Narendra Modi Stadium, and though he was caught by Gill in deep midwicket when going for a title-clinching boundary, the trophy was Australia’s on the very next ball as Glenn Maxwell came back for the required two.

The six-wicket victory sees Australia regain the trophy they previously won in 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2015, as a home tournament which promised so much ended on a miserable note for India.

Having been put in to bat by Australia, India saw their big day begin to unravel in the 10th over as Rohit fell victim to a brilliant diving catch from Head to depart for 47 off 31, having miscued Maxwell’s ball into the off side.

It was Shreyas Iyer’s turn to go for just 4 off 3 only four deliveries later, feathering an edge through to Josh Inglis off Cummins’ ball. KL Rahul (66) and Virat Kohli (54) came in to steady the ship, but India’s scoring had slowed dramatically by the time Cummins doubled up with the latter’s wicket.

Indeed, Rahul’s score came off 107 balls as India went 97 deliveries without a boundary from the end of the 10th over. An excellent ball saw Hazlewood remove Ravindra Jadeja for 9 in the 36th, and it was panic stations for India from then on as the Australian onslaught gathered pace.

Starc – who had set the tone by removing Gill early on – got his hat-trick as Rahul and Mohammed Shami (6) fell within the space of two overs, while Hazlewood helped himself to a double as Australia polished off the tail with ease, with Kuldeep Yadav the last to go as he was run out on the final ball.

India’s 240 did not look likely to present much of a challenge for Australia, though they found themselves under some unexpected pressure early on after taking up the bat.

Shami, the hero of India’s semi-final win over New Zealand, woke the home crowd up when he had David Warner caught by Kohli for 7 on just the seventh ball of the innings, and the atmosphere was at fever pitch when Bumrah subsequently got hold of the ball.

It was a rather routine delivery which got him his first scalp as Mitchell Marsh nicked behind to Rahul, but his second was the result of a trademark slowie, Steve Smith walking for 4 when replays showed a review would have saved him.

That decision ultimately wouldn’t cost Australia as Head drained the energy out of the home crowd with his imperious knock, Labuschagne offering support with a solid 58 off 110.

With India fading, the stadium was half-empty by the time Head looked to cap his incredible performance with the decisive six, only to pick out the palms of Gill at the boundary.

He departed to heartfelt hugs from his team-mates as Maxwell wrapped things up, heaving one into the leg side before coming back for the required second run as yellow shirts streamed onto the field and fireworks erupted above the famous ground.

Hojgaard’s back-nine heroics secure DP World Tour Championship crown

Kyle Goldsmith
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Hojgaard’s back-nine heroics secure DP World Tour Championship crown

Nicolai Hojgaard claimed DP World Tour Championship glory with a superb final-round 64 on a thrilling last day in Dubai.

Hojgaard headed into Sunday’s action at Jumeirah Golf Estates three shots off leader Matt Wallace, but five straight birdies on the back nine saw him storm into the lead.

The 22-year-old set the clubhouse target at 21 under par, meaning Viktor Hovland, Tommy Fleetwood and Wallace all needed an eagle at the 18th to force a play-off.

But Hojgaard held on despite the trio’s best efforts, eventually winning by two strokes to clinch his third win on the DP World Tour and seal the best moment of his young career.

Hojgaard spoke of his delight after victory was confirmed, though he also conceded he was relieved having missed a putt at the 18th, telling Sky Sports: “It means a lot. It’s the sweetest one and so much hard work has been put in the last couple of years and this year has been a really good year.


“Having that putt on 18 to close it out and it slips by, I felt like it was quite a tough moment for me actually. I was like, ‘did it just slip away?’ But we regrouped and took it a bit easy.

“I have to say this is probably the best golf I’ve played in a tournament because this is the strongest field in my three wins. I’m definitely going to enjoy this.”

Defending champion Jon Rahm finished joint-fifth with a final-round 66, while Rasmus Hojgaard, twin brother of Nicolai, was tied for 11th with the likes of Tyrell Hatton and Romain Langasque.

Rory McIlroy, having already secured the Race to Dubai title by leading the season standings, wrapped up the campaign with a joint-22nd finish at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Despite topping the DP World Tour rankings for a second straight year, the major victory again eluded McIlroy in 2023, whose last such win came back in 2014.

He is desperate to end that barren run, saying: “It’s been a good last couple of years, but I want to kick on now and try to win more majors and that’s where my focus is and we keep going forward.”

India set Australia just 241 to win World Cup after excellent bowling display

Kyle Goldsmith
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India set Australia just 241 to win World Cup after excellent bowling display

Australia need just 241 runs to win the World Cup after bowling India out thanks to brilliant performances with the ball at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

Australia won the toss and decided to bowl first, with India overcoming the early loss of opener Shubman Gill to reach 76/1 thanks to the quick scoring of captain Rohit Sharma.

But Rohit (47 from 31) and Shreyas Iyer (four off three) both went in the space of four balls, the former thanks to an excellent catch from Travis Head, and India were in trouble all of a sudden with just over 10 overs gone.

In came KL Rahul, and he steadied the ship alongside a vital half-century from Virat Kohli to help India to 148 before Kohli was bowled by Pat Cummins. The scoring had slowed dramatically, though, with India going 97 balls without a boundary following the end of the 10th over, largely thanks to excellent work in the field by Australia.

Hazlewood got his second in removing Ravi Jadeja for just nine off 22 balls, before Rahul’s innings finally came to an end in the 42nd over having added 66 runs to India’s total from 107 deliveries, scoring just one four during his time at the crease.


In fact, India managed just two boundaries between the 11th and 40th overs, the joint-fewest in a men’s ODI since 2014, and Cummins finished with two wickets at an economy of just 3.4, while Mitchell Starc also starred by dismissing three Indian batsmen during his 10 overs.

The tail largely failed to wag, with Mohamed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah both going without making it to 10, though Suryakumar Yadav did add 18 important runs to give India hope before Hazlewood struck again to remove him.

The last two standing, Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav were only able to tack on another 14 runs before Kuldeep was run out with the final ball of the innings to leave India all out for just 240.

It means India’s bowlers have it all to do if they are to win the World Cup for the first time since 2011, while Australia will fancy their chances of a successful run chase to lift the trophy for the fifth time in seven editions despite the difficult pitch and the hosts’ prowess with the ball.

Russell laments ‘massive missed opportunity’ after disappointing Las Vegas GP finish

Kyle Goldsmith
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Russell laments ‘massive missed opportunity’ after disappointing Las Vegas GP finish

George Russell was left frustrated by another “missed opportunity” as a penalty led to an eighth-placed finish at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Russell collided with eventual race winner Max Verstappen on the 25th lap in Las Vegas, incurring a five-second time penalty that saw him finish eighth after initially crossing the line in fourth.

Russell admitted he was at fault for the incident, telling Sky Sports: “[It is] just another massively missed opportunity this weekend.

“The collision with Max was totally my fault. I didn’t see him. He was in my blind spot going into Turn 11 and I wasn’t really expecting the overtake there because you’ve got the DRS straight afterwards.

“[I] was on course for an easy podium then and it was straightforward, so recovered to P4 but the five seconds obviously knocks us down to P8.

“This season is sort of one thing after another. The pace was strong but not as strong as the Red Bulls and the Ferraris.”


It is the latest in a string of disappointing results for Mercedes’ Russell, who sits eighth in the drivers’ championship standings having finished fourth last season.

Russell’s last podium finish came at the Spanish Grand Prix back in June, and he says he wanted to finish in the top three to end a below-par season on a high note.

“At the end of the day, we still recovered to P4,” Russell added. “Even without the penalty, we’re very disappointed because we should have been on that podium.

“It would have been a nice way to semi-end up this season after such a disastrous one, but I guess this just tops it off.”

Verstappen takes record-extending victory with chaotic Las Vegas GP win

Kyle Goldsmith
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Verstappen takes record-extending victory with chaotic Las Vegas GP win

Max Verstappen secured an 18th victory of the season as he overcame a penalty and a collision to win the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Verstappen was awarded a five-second time penalty for forcing pole-sitter Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari off the track on the first corner of the race, before a collision with Mercedes’ George Russell left the Dutchman’s Red Bull with a damaged front wing.

But having already secured a third straight drivers’ championship, Verstappen battled back to claim yet another victory, one that extends his record for most wins in a season and also ties him with Sebastian Vettel on the list of all-time wins with 53 triumphs now to his name.

Leclerc had been leading with 13 laps to go, and though he ultimately missed out on a first win of the season, he did recover to pass Sergio Perez on the final lap to finish second and deny Red Bull the one-two.


The race had two safety cars and was exciting throughout, with Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll profiting to finish fourth and fifth respectively, while Carlos Sainz fought back to finish sixth after incurring a 10-place grid penalty before the race.

Lewis Hamilton weathered two collisions to finish seventh, while his team-mate Russell finished the race eighth after he was penalised for the clash with Verstappen.

McLaren’s Lando Norris was involved in a heavy collision on the fourth lap of the race and was taken to hospital for precautionary checks.

Las Vegas Grand Prix result

1 – Max Verstappen, Red Bull
2 – Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
3 – Sergio Perez, Red Bull
4 – Esteban Ocon, Alpine
5 – Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
6 – Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
7 – Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
8 – George Russell, Mercedes
9 – Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
10 – Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Rumour Roundup: Man City and Chelsea facing potential relegation?

Kyle Goldsmith
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Rumour Roundup: Man City and Chelsea facing potential relegation?

The Sunday papers have highlighted potential concerning news for fans of Manchester City and Chelsea as the repercussions from Everton’s 10-point deduction continue to lurk over the Premier League.

The docking of points from Everton, the largest in Premier League history, was enough to drop them into the relegation zone after breaching profit and sustainability rules, and the rumours are Chelsea and City could face even worse punishments.

Elsewhere in the papers, Thomas Partey could be on his way out of the Premier League while Liverpool’s rumoured plans of replacing Jurgen Klopp with Xabi Alonso have taken a blow.

THE TIMES

Everton’s hefty punishment came after just one breach of the Premier League’s sustainability rules, meaning City fans should be nervous considering the 115 infringements that their club have been charged with, while Chelsea are also potentially in hot water because of violations under the ownership of Roman Abramovich.

City and Chelsea reportedly face 30-point deductions or automatic relegation from the Premier League should the charges stick, similar to the type of punishment Juventus received for the ‘Calciopoli’ scandal, when the Turin giants were stripped of two Serie A titles before they were sent to the second tier after it was revealed they had tried to select favourable referees for their matches.

DAILY TELEGRAPH

Things could get even worse for Everton with Burnley, Leeds United and Leicester City all rumoured to be looking to sue the Toffees for £300million after being relegated over the past couple of seasons.

777Partners, Everton’s potential new owners, would reportedly be unable to pay the £300m bill, meaning the club could go into administration and lose another nine points on top of the 10 they have already been docked.


THE SUN

Everton’s problems could lead to some of their key players leaving the club, including goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, as well as Amadou Onana.

Thomas Partey and his representatives have reportedly met with Juventus ahead of a potential move in the January transfer window.

THE ATHLETIC

Paris Saint-Germain owners Qatar Sports Investment (QSI) will reportedly sell a minority stake in the French giants, though they claim to still hold a full commitment to the club.

City’s injury problems continue to worsen as midfielder Mateo Kovacic could miss up to three weeks with a reoccurrence of the quad injury that kept him out of three games in September.

DAILY EXPRESS

Rumours of a clause in Xabi Alonso’s contract at Bayer Leverkusen that would allow him to leave for Liverpool, Bayern Munich or Real Madrid have been quashed by the club’s CEO Fernando Carro.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg could be used by Tottenham in a swap deal as the North London side goes in pursuit of Juventus pair Samuel Iling-Junior and Andrea Cambiaso.

DAILY MIRROR

Harry Maguire’s response to losing the Manchester United captaincy has reportedly come in for praise from manager Erik ten Hag.

Aitor Karanka, previously head coach at Middlesborough, Nottingham Forest and Birminghan City, is rumoured to be looking for a return to the English game having last been in charge of Maccabi Tel Aviv.

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