PVC-u - Saint or Sinner?

Mark Richmond of Selecta Systems considers both sides of the arguments for and against PVC-U and explains how Advance 70 rises to the challenge.

There can’t be too many building materials that divide opinions like PVC-U. Some experts hold it in high esteem, citing it as a ground breaker that is contributing enormously to the building industry’s eorts to meet Government commitments to reducing CO2 emissions; whilst others believe it contributes to res in buildings and gives o toxic chemicals when buried in landll waste sites. Mark Richmond, Sales Director at Selecta Systems has a surprisingly balanced view, given his position.

“There is a small but vocal minority of people who have decided, for whatever reason, that they simply don’t like PVC-U. Perhaps they are among the privileged few who live in conservation areas and can aord to have their timber box sashes refurbished every few years. Or maybe they are speciers with an erroneous belief that PVC-U is inferior in looks and performance to their pet materials. Either way, I believe in laying out the facts and letting people make their own decisions” says Mark.

“Technical advances in material composition, manufacturing processes that reduce waste, increases in the volume of recycling and enhanced thermal performance are just some of the areas that make an extremely positive case for PVC-U” continues Mark. Selecta’s Advance 70 suite has been lead-free since its launch, which even now is some 6 years ahead of the Vinyl 2010 voluntary commitment deadline for the phasing out of lead stabilisers.

This means that when the windows reach the end of their working life, they can be recycled without any concerns over the material content and impact on the performance of the new end product. This is especially important as almost 200,000 tonnes of post-consumer PVC waste was recycled across Europe in 2008. Even those products that do nd their way to landll waste sites will have minimum environmental impact due to the inert nature of PVC-U, as proven by research by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.

Much of the “misinformation” can be attributed to twisting of facts by the supporters of other building materials, which distort reporting in the wider media. For example, blame was attributed to PVC-U windows for the tragic loss of life during the devastating re at Larkanal House in Camberwell, South London in July 2009. Subsequent investigation by the BPF found that the frame material used was not even PVC-U, yet initial comments from no less a body as RIBA were damning in their “expert” assessment.

According to the BPF’s formal response to RIBA, PVC-U does not melt or drip in res but develops a carbonaceous char which inhibits further spread of the re. Furthermore, its high chlorine content acts as an inherent re retardant and, when the source of ame is removed, PVC-U will not continue to burn.

Palmer Market Research’s latest report states that PVC-U accounts for over 81% of all domestic replacement windows in the UK, so clearly householders have a positive view of the material. “There is no question that PVC-U windows, doors and conservatories represent great value for money for homeowners and, with the likely increases in thermal performance demanded by amendments to Part L of the Building Regs, this perception is set to increase” says Mark.

Window Energy Ratings (WERs) are taking centre stage in the industry at present and rightly so, as amendments to the Building Regulations are due to come into force in October which are likely to make the tting of at least “C” rated windows mandatory in domestic home improvements. As one of the newest systems on the market, Advance 70 was designed from the outset with the knowledge of how WERs would shape the industry and it is making the journey to “C” ratings an easy one for Selecta customers. “We knew that Part L would be progressively tightened following its introduction in 2004, so our design strategy was to future-proof Advance 70 and place our customers at the forefront of the industry” explains Mark.

“The key to this was to make Advance 70 a full 5 chambered system for all major frames, including sashes. This ensures that thermal transmittance is reduced across the prole, meaning we can comfortably achieve the “C” rating without resorting to thermal inserts or foam lling. The only element that changes as we progress up through the “B” banding to the top-spec “A” rating is the specication of the sealed units.”

This also applies to woodgrain nish frames, which can often struggle to make the grade due to the need for full reinforcement. “Again, our 5 chamber conguration means we can meet the practical requirements of fabricating the product without compromising its thermal performance”, adds Mark.

Selecta is also developing a full support programme for its customers to ensure they are fully prepared for the implementation of Part L revisions scheduled for October 2010. “Our expert team is working on a solution that covers all aspects of the process. It’s crucial to understand that the whole window is awarded the energy rating, not just the frames, glazing or even the fabricator that makes the product. With this in mind, we are condent that we will be able to hand the initiative to our customers and ensure that they are leading from the front”.

“There is no escaping the fact that PVC-U has a major presence in the domestic home improvement market and has developed a similar position in other sectors such as local authorities and private housebuilders. At Selecta, we believe in presenting the facts about PVC-U’s performance clearly and objectively so that decision makers – whether they are householders or speciers – can draw their own conclusions” summarises Mark.