sustainability and energy efficiency
Wood is the ‘green’ choice - it is the only naturally renewable material for windows and doors. As well as avoiding the CO2 emissions produced in the manufacture of products from other materials, wood products continue to store CO2 throughout their working life. Aside from environmental concerns, homeowners are becoming increasingly aware of the value to be gained by ensuring that their property is fitted with appropriate windows and doors.
However, we also have a responsibility to ensure we source sustainable wood - simply put, a tree harvested replaced by another tree. We have engaged the Rainforest Alliance to certify our chain of custody through the Forest Stewardship Council - from timber mills, through to manufacturer, and onwards to our customers. The environmental advantages of using timber are simply undone if sourced from unsustainable sources.
Our timber of choice is European redwood. Firstly it is stable, mature timber and secondly it is a wood type that is in plentiful supply and whose population is growing. Although we use hardwood, albeit in minimal quantities, we are committed to continually reducing our use of hardwoods to zero.
Wood has very low thermal conductivity, which means it is a good insulator. But the energy efficiency of a window actually has little to do with the frame material and is mostly affected by the specification of the glazing unit, so well-designed windows have similar thermal efficiencies across the board.
All our double glazed windows have accredited U-values in line with and exceeding the performance criteria laid down by the HM Government conservation of fuel and power Doc L1B, section 4.19 to 4.23.
