Timber iQ October - November 2017 // Issue: 34 | Page 40

FEATURES
A rich, luxurious ambiance is easily created with wood.
Pane relief for homeowners
When it comes to choosing materials for the design of window frames
and doors in South Africa, architects and contractors alike have
several options to consider, but none possess the character or enviro
credentials of wood.
By Tristan Wiggill
“Wood has many advantages as a design and architectural
material in doors and windows,” confirms Nadine de
Villiers, marketing manager at Van Acht Wooden Windows
and Doors.
“First and foremost, wood is a renewable resource.
Wood products from sustainably harvested or Forest
Stewardship Council (FSC)-approved forests have a
negative carbon footprint,” she explains.
“Unlike other materials, wood has a natural warmth and
beauty in it that other materials cannot match. In fact,
many other competing materials are designed and styled
in such a way that they mimic the look of different woods.”
The coefficient of thermal conductivity of wood is also
very low. Aluminium transmits heat 7 000 times faster
38 OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 //
than wood – depending on the wood species – and the
degree of moisture. Steel is 1 650 times faster, marble is
90 times quicker and glass is 23 times more rapid than
wood when it comes to heat transmission.
“Wood is literally one of the best thermal insulators
money can buy,” continues De Villiers.
South Africans in general hate the cold, but they find
comfort in the fact that wooden windows and doors offer
increased insulation performance compared to other
materials. Typically, less heat is lost through wooden
window sashes and frames than is the case with
metal alternatives.
Good insulation means a warmer house in winter and a
cooler house in the summer. Substantial energy savings