Published: 31st October 2009
The Epwin Group, the low maintenance building products supplier, has claimed the Best Recycled Product Award at the National Recycling Awards 2009.
Manufactured from window profile made from 100 per cent recycled PVC-U, the pioneering energy efficient windows were installed in a pilot project, completed for Manchester social housing provider, Northwards Housing in March.
The recycled profile, a first for the sector, was extruded by Epwin Group systems business, Profile 22, which along with its sister recycling company Dekura, has long been at the forefront of innovation and sustainability in PVC-U window and building technology.
Manufactured by Wrekin Windows and foiled with a thin virgin skin (two per cent) by Foilex, both Epwin Group businesses, the product achieves a total recycled content of 98 per cent, also delivering an advanced thermal performance.
This joint commitment to recycle PVC-U building materials and deliver a new generation of thermally efficient products was highlighted by judges at the award ceremony, held at the Hilton, Park Lane in front of an audience of more than 500 guests from across a wide range of sectors.
Jim Rawson, chairman, the Epwin Group said: “To win the Best Recycled Product Award 2009 against some very stiff competition from a wide range of sectors, is a fantastic achievement and shows just how far we, not only as a Group but as an industry, have moved forward.
“PVC-U is an exceptionally flexible material that is low maintenance and thermally efficient in life and can be effectively recycled and re-extruded at end of life. It simply makes sense to recycled and to use recycled product, both environmentally but as part of an effective business or estate management strategy.”
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.
Profile 22’s thermally efficient RCM (recycled composite material) reinforcement ranges, for example, is already in extensive use. It also offers a range of future generation fully recyclable and energy efficient products, including a unique green new build window system.
This features a cavity closer manufactured from 98 per cent recycled ‘waste’ PVC-U and a sill system with 92 per cent recycled content, co-extruded with a virgin skin to deliver superb weather performance. Combined with an energy efficient and advanced performance PVC-U window and the system can achieve a recycled content of up to 60 per cent.
Meanwhile, Swish Building Products, also a Group business, has launched its new rainwater and guttering system which Swish has manufactured from 84 per cent recycled material. As recycled products, these rainwater pipes and gutters produce 70 per cent less CO2 than would be created in manufacture from virgin material.
Jim concluded: “For the moment, while Manchester remains a pilot project, what has been achieved is representative of a new offer from the PVC-U window and building products industry. That offer is a new generation of not only secure, energy efficient windows and doors and low maintenance roofline but also sustainable products that can be fully recycled at end of life.
“This, we believe, gives our products huge currency in delivering sustainable innovation within the construction and building industries and across sectors, whether retail, social housing refurbishment, new build or home improvement.”
< Back to News Page
Registered in England: 7742256
Registered Office: Friars Gate, 1011 Stratford Road, Solihull, B90 4BN.
