Published: 22nd April 2010
The Epwin Group, the low maintenance building products supplier, has been nominated by judges in the National Recycling Awards Best Recycled Product category for the second year in succession.
Having claimed the National Recycling Awards Best Recycled Product 2009 for the installation of windows manufactured from 98 per cent recycled material in Manchester, group company Swish Building Products has been short-listed in the same category for its pioneering low maintenance, ‘low CO2’, recycled PVC rainwater system.
Bringing thousands of tons of end of life material back into use the rainwater and guttering system is manufactured from 84 per cent recycled material. This includes not only factory off cuts but old post-consumer material that has reached the end of its life.
And because they are manufactured from recycled material, rainwater pipes and gutters from Swish produce 70 per cent less CO2 than would be created in manufacture from virgin material.
Jim Rawson, chairman, the Epwin Group, said: “PVC-U is an exceptionally flexible material that is low maintenance in life and can be effectively recycled and re-extruded at end of life and then go through the process again and again.
“Our priority is first and foremost to offer our customers products that don’t just ‘do the job’ but which do it exceptionally well whether that’s a large scale commercial development or residential installation – we look to build in value and we see sustainability as a fundamental part of that process. We’re committed to combining product efficiency and sustainability, in manufacture, in life and at end of life.”
The Building Research Establishment (BRE) has already awarded PVC-U an ‘A’ and ‘A plus’ Green Guide rating – for a large part in recognition of the growing volume of PVC-U now being recycled. The activity of Epwin Group companies has played a fundamental part in this shift – closing the loop on the recycling process.
The new guttering range from Swish features a grey core and co-extruded outer skin to enhance the external appearance and to aid colour matching. This technology gives it exactly the same weather resistance and longevity of products manufactured from virgin material.
The system which is already commercially available has been successfully trialled in a number of projects across sectors.
This includes a pioneering project to see how far retrofitting could take the Manchester semi-detached Victorian property towards carbon neutrality. Delivered by urban design and sustainability specialist URBED, the scheme has achieved an 80 per cent cut in the property’s CO2 emissions, achieving national recognition as an example of best practice.
Wrekin Windows claimed last year’s top spot for its installation of energy efficient windows featuring 100 per recycled PVC-U profile, manufactured from recycled material re-processed and then re-extruded by sister companies Dekura and Profile 22.
Attended by more than 500 guests from across a wide range of sectors last year, the award ceremony this year will be held at the Hilton, Park Lane on July 15th 2010.
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