The Environment & Timber Windows
We believe that all Timber used in the manufacture of our windows should be as environmentally friendly as possible without unduly increasing costs. There are some strong environmental arguments for using timber instead of PVC-u to manufacture window frames.
Sustainability
All the timber for our windows is sourced from sustainable forests - when a tree is cut down, another is planted in its place. The Environmental Risk Assessment Unity at the University of East Anglia, which measures the environmental cost of materials, says:
"Timber harvesting has very few environmental costs and doesn't leave gaping holes in the ground"
Planting trees for timber harvesting actually helps to reduce the greenhouse effect. After an area has been logged, seedlings are planted which start to absorb carbon dioxide and expel oxygen in their growing process.
To grow a ton of wood it has been calculated that a tree uses 55 kilos of carbon dioxide and gives off 40 kilos of oxygen.
In one year an average tree consumes 9.1 kilos of carbon dioxide - (the amount emitted by an average family car driving 11,500 miles) and produces enough oxygen to keep a family of four breathing for a year.
Because this process only takes place to a large extent in growing trees, maintaining large over-mature forests is not very environmentally beneficial. Therefore, timber extraction is actually beneficial to the environment because the planned planting of trees for timber harvesting helps to reduce the greenhouse effect.
Energy Efficiency
Timber has natural insulating properties, which are far better at keeping in the warmth and keeping out the cold than PVC-u, thus helping to reduce heating costs during the winter.
Over the lifetime of the material, from initial extraction, during its serviceable life and through to its final disposal, the product energy requirement is 8 times higher for a PVC-u window when compared to a timber window.
