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WHAT IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT WHEN THE END IS NIGH FOR WINDOWS AND DOORS?
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AUTHORED BY CHRIS COXON, Head of Marketing at Eurocell plc- the leading manufacturer and distributor of high quality, cost efficient and sustainable PVC-U solutions
Manufacturers of PVC-U, wood and aluminium window and door frames have been battling for many years to try and win over both specifiers and homeowners. The ongoing argument over which material is most suitable for each project appears subjective, with the three materials all beneficial in different ways. However, the increased responsibility that consumers are feeling to become more sustainable poses another consideration- which material is the most environmentally friendly?
Overall, PVC-U has enjoyed a larger share of the replacement window and door market than wood and aluminium. The dominance of PVC-U in the fenestration sector can be attributed to its economy, flexibility, strength, security and all-round appeal, but how does it match up in terms of its environmental impact?
Homeowners are increasingly taking into account energy efficiency and sustainability when making purchasing decisions so it’ s important to take a fresh look at how the three competing materials compare in the environmental stakes.
EXPERT’ S VIEW
There’ s not much to make a distinction between the main door and window frame materials in terms of environmental performance. No specific material has an obvious advantage in the relevant standard impact categories. Some will argue that aluminium frames contribute to heat loss more than wood or PVC-U frames because of the inherent conductivity of metal, for example, but in general there is little to choose between each of them when it comes to performance, with A and A + ratings largely the norm.
Where the differences really begin to emerge is when you compare the environmental impact of each material at the end of its life …
DIFFERENT ENDINGS FOR DIFFERENT MATERIALS
It’ s very easy to recycle and reuse PVC-U and the replacement window and door industry has an impressive record for recycling old frames and using them to make new ones.
Over 560,000 tonnes of what is referred to as‘ post-consumer’ material is recycled across Europe every year, aided by companies like Eurocell, who operate an advanced‘ close loop’ system for the recovery, recycling and reuse of PVC-U frames.
PVC-U actually gets stronger when it’ s recycled. Every time it’ s recycled, the proportion of additives( such as impact modifiers) in the mixture can be adjusted to ensure it keeps its strength. This means PVC-U can be re-processed and used to make new windows and doors, the same products it came from, for high-value‘ upstream’ recycling.
Alternatively, the fibres in wood break down immediately when it’ s recycled, meaning it can only be used to manufacture lower quality products like chipboard and other low-grade timber meaning it’ s‘ downstream’ recycling.
Although it can be converted into biomass fuel and burned to produce green energy, proportionately few wood frames are sent for recycling. In fact, it’ s estimated that up to 50 per cent of the timber windows removed from refurbishment projects in the UK end up in landfill.
Recycling rates for aluminium are impressive, reaching 90 per cent across Europe for the construction and vehicle industries. It can also be recycled and used to make new window and door frames, again and again. However, in comparison to PVC-U, recycling aluminium consumes a lot more energy and produces more emissions. PVC-U is reprocessed at a modest 160-220 degrees centigrade compared to the 700-750 degrees centigrade or more required to melt down and recycle aluminium.
PVC-U COMES OUT ON TOP When it comes to what happens to the material at end of life, PVC-U comes out on top, with the environmental benefits of using the material instead of wood or aluminium clear. Increasingly, environmentally conscious consumers will factor this into their decision making more than ever before and it’ s likely that PVC-U will continue to enjoy a larger share of the replacement window and door market as a result.
WWW. EUROCELL. CO. UK
Eurocell plc is the UK’ s leading manufacturer, distributor and recycler of PVC-U window, door, conservatory and roofline systems, plus an extensive array of ancillary products, offering the widest product range of any single brand on the market. Its products are used for both new build and replacement projects in the domestic and commercial sector.
12 » AUG 2018 » CLEARVIEW-UK. COM