North-facing conservatories, while offering welcome shade during the summer months, usually suffer from a lack of solar gain in the winter which causes them to become too cold. South-facing conservatories unsurprisingly have the opposite problem in that they tend to get too hot and bright in the summer.

Either way, it will be necessary to take some measures in order to regulate the interior climate of your conservatory so that it remains a comfortable environment in which to relax all year round. Fortunately, there are numerous options available to you, whether you need to keep your conservatory warm or combat excessive heat build-up and brightness.

Appropriate glazing is a hugely important aspect of well-planned, modern conservatory design, crucial as it is to ensuring a temperate interior climate for 12 months of the year.

There are now a range of technically advanced glazing materials available that have specific light and heat control benefits. Your first and most important decision will be whether to fit your conservatory roof with polycarbonate sheet or glass.

Polycarbonate sheet is specially designed for insulated glazing applications. Light, strong and economical, it is a multi-walled thermoplastic material that can be both transparent and translucent. Polycarbonate sheet is currently the most popular conservatory glazing material owing to its inexpensiveness, durability and ease of handling. Highly resistant to the effects of UV and natural sunlight, it is available in a range of thicknesses offering different shielding properties.

Double glazed sealed units for conservatories are similar to the glass used for domestic windows, providing much the same insulation benefits. Around 1 inch thick, they are created by sealing together two sheets of toughened or laminated safety glass (- up to 5 times stronger than regular glass -) with an air gap in-between. Glass is considerably more expensive than polycarbonate sheeting, while its greater weight makes it more difficult – and costly – to install. Nevertheless, it continues to enjoy great popularity; many conservatory owners find that they prefer its traditional look and transparency.

Whether your conservatory roof is made of polycarbonate or glass, it is possible to reduce heat loss or prevent overheating by altering the thickness and tinting of the glazing material, or by adding reflective coatings. Check out the material's ‘U value' to get an indication of its thermal insulation levels; the lower the ‘U value', the better the insulation. Reflective insulating glazing is a further option for North-facing conservatories requiring internal heating. This modern material reflects internal heat back into the building, thereby reducing heat wastage and energy consumption. It is also effective in eliminating condensation. Those with South-facing conservatories may wish to look into anti-solar tinted and solar-shielding glazing, which promises considerable solar heat reduction to the interior thanks to its enhanced thermal absorption properties.

Conservatory air-conditioning systems are a wonderful modern-day innovation. They work hand in glove with special glazing and brightness control devices such as solar blinds. The remote thermostat enables you to determine the internal temperature of your conservatory so that it remains at a comfortable level for you all year round.

Not only do air-con units offer cooler air in the heat of the summer, they can also provide conservatory heating through an integrated, externally-located heat pump that is highly efficient and cheap to run. Installing a combined AC unit such as this will cost the same as extending your existing central heating system to include the conservatory. What's more, running costs are generally much lower than those associated with electrical heating. By reversing its refrigeration cycle, the heat pump unit can capture heat from outside even on a very cold day, raising internal temperatures by several degrees.

Installation of conservatory air conditioning systems usually takes around 4 hours. Very little maintenance is required, with only the filter needing cleaning on occasion. This can be achieved with minimal fuss as the filter itself is easily accessible.

While they may not be the cheapest option, it is worth bearing in mind that conservatory air-con units provide a one-stop solution for all heating, cooling, ventilation and air filtering issues.

The insulation of your conservatory should be addressed at the construction stage. You will reduce the need for expensive heating and cooling systems by getting things right early on. As well as glazing and roofing materials, it is important to consider cavity wall insulation. Don't cut back on insulation in the floor and side walls.

It is likely that you will still require some form of additional heating and, if you decide against an integrated air-con system, there are a number of other options available to you. Chief among these is the trusty radiator (electric, oil or central heating). Conventional central heating radiators work well, but need to be plumbed into your existing domestic central heating system, which can prove costly. Stand-alone electric radiators are much easier to install, although they may require a dedicated socket depending on the wattage. As with oil filled radiators, they also tend to be much more economical given that you are more likely to remember to switch them off when the conservatory is not in use.

Another possibility you may like to consider is underfloor heating, which offers an efficient means of invisibly heating your conservatory. This is usually achieved by installing a narrow gauge plastic tube that carries warm water below the floor surface. Alternatively, you can install a so-called "radiative" floor surface that uses an electrical heating element to provide warmth. Radiative flooring is a better choice if the concrete base of your conservatory has already been laid. Although they can prove difficult to service, good underfloor heating systems are extremely reliable and will last for many years.

South-facing conservatories attract large quantities of solar radiation that can lead to heat build-up, often accompanied high humidity levels on hot days, with condensation frequently posing a related problem on cooler days. It is therefore vital to implement some form of ventilation measure in order to maintain a comfortable environment. The principal options here are roof vents, ceiling fans, extractor units and air exchange systems. First of all, however, it is important to ensure that there is a constant source of fresh air available to the conservatory. This can be through a door, side window, air brick etc.

Installing opening roof vents is the simplest, most economical method of ventilation. These are rectangular, top-hinged glazed units that are fitted within a roof panel. Attractive to the eye, they can be operated manually (hook & pole, teleflex) or electrically (powered motor unit), and are both water and draught-proof.

Ceiling Fans are a highly desirable addition to any conservatory. Although they do not strictly provide ventilation, they offer a fantastic down-draught cooling effect that can reduce air temperature by as much as 5°C. What's more, the fan direction can be reversed in winter to trap in warm air and lower heating costs. Ceiling fans come in a wide range of styles and can include integrated light fitments, multiple speeds and infra-red remote control.

Good extractor units will rapidly reduce temperature and humidity levels by extracting several hundred cubic metres of air per hour. A basic switch panel or control unit allows you to determine the interior climate of your conservatory.

Air exchange systems work by simultaneously removing stale air and replacing it with fresh. They tend to be especially beneficial to conservatories suffering from high humidity.

Conservatory blinds not only help to "dress" your conservatory and provide an element of privacy, they also play a vital role in reducing solar glare and heat build-up.

Conservatory sun blinds come in a variety of different styles and materials which offer different glare-reduction properties. Roller blinds probably offer the best glare-management capabilitites, although many people consider them to be unattractive. Special solar finishes and reflective coatings can be added to all sun blinds for improved performance.

Additionally, opaque opal polycarbonate or roof blinds with glass are sometimes desirable to cut down the glare, particularly where the conservatory is often used for work or study.

If conservatory blinds prove too expensive, you may prefer to look into the increasingly popular practice of solar coating. This involves attaching a very thin film of material onto the glazed surface of the roof and/or exterior pane in order to reduce the amount of solar radiation passing through it. Be aware, however, that some degree of tinting will be unavoidable.