The battle lines have been redrawn when it comes to energy efficiency, argues Deceuninck’s MD, Rob McGlennon.
Window systems, IGUs, and other components that were developed since 2002 to comply with the ever-tightening requirements of Part L of the Building Regulations, are slowly reaching their design limits when it comes to thermal performance.
While most PVC-U systems can achieve the 1.4W/m2K required by the current building regs, meeting future revisions may be tricky.
“Improving the thermal performance of Britain’s housing stock is high on the list of the government’s priorities when it comes to reducing overall carbon emissions,” Deceuninck’s MD, Rob McGlennon, says. “The Future Homes Standard, which is still in consultation, aims to deliver homes from 2025 that are ‘zero carbon ready’. To achieve this goal, windows with U-values of 0.8W/m2K will need to be installed.
“These figures don’t apply to retrofit projects (as yet) but we should expect to see a considerable tightening from where they are currently. And this will put pressure on window designs as they stand.”
Deceuninck currently helps window companies sell energy efficient products by developing an energy calculator, which clearly demonstrates the cost savings made by replacing inefficient windows.
According to the energy calculator, which can be found on Deceuninck UK’s home page, owners of a detached house on mains gas will save just over £18k in ten years if they upgrade from single-glazed wooden windows to triple-glazed Heritage 2800 from Deceuninck. They will also save almost 28 tons on emitted carbon.
By launching the new Elegant window, Deceuninck has put thermal performance front and centre, alongside a modern design and a minimal impact on fabrication, such as reduced stock-holding.
“It is vital we design modern aspirational products for the future, not just windows that meet a target U-value,” Rob explains.
Elegant was launched by Deceuninck in September, and is built around i-COR, a modular ultra-energy efficient outer frame, which is available in three different frame depths: a standard 76mm system, plus 84mm and 115mm options.
Each frame is compatible with five different sashes: Elegant Abstract, a sleek, minimalist flush sash option; ThermoFibra Infinity, Deceuninck’s glass-fibre reinforced sash, which has a rebate of only 7mm, while achieving U-values of as low as 0.88W/m2K; Infinity, which features a subtle transition between the frame and sash; Elegant Origin which has a classic detailing; and the more pronounced square chamfered, Elegant Grando.
ThermoFibra Infinity employs Deceuninck’s patented ThermoFibra glass fibre reinforcement system, eliminating steel from the sash. It combines this with Forthex, Deceuninck’s extruded insulated thermal reinforcement, which maximises design potential without the need for traditional steel reinforcement using embedded steel wires in a low-density insulating foam core.
As strong as steel reinforced windows, but 30% more thermally efficient with 40% savings on materials and weight, ThermoFibra and Forthex are also 100% recyclable.
Elegant also uses recycled material in manufacture, something which sits as part of Deceuninck’s ambitious sustainability strategy.
This includes a commitment to cut the CO2 emissions from its own operations by 60% by 2030 from a 2021 baseline, achieved in part through the €15million investment it has made in one of the world’s most advanced recycling and compounding facilities.
With the capacity to reprocess up to 45,000 tonnes of post-consumer and post-manufacturing PVC-U per year it gives Deceuninck capacity to prevent more than three million windows from going to landfill annually.
“The high-end aesthetics, thermal performance and sustainability credentials of Elegant take the PVC-U conversation into a different space,” Rob argues. “This isn’t about making energy efficient PVC-U products – this is about next generation, premium low-maintenance and energy efficient composite windows and doors that will help achieve the zero-carbon homes of the future.”
