PVC windows have a long lifespan and save energy
Sustainable construction is a growing trend that pays off
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VEKA careersHow sustainable are PVC windows?
- One of the main aspects of the European Green Deal is the promotion of a circular economy – a system that does not permanently use up resources and does not generate waste. The PVC window industry is setting a good example here.
- Our Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) shows that more research has been conducted on the life cycle sustainability of PVC windows than on almost any other building element.
- Few construction products are as sustainable as PVC windows. Their outstanding environmental balance sheet is due not only to the manufacturing process, but also to their energy-saving properties and the fact that they are virtually 100% recyclable.
- Windows made from PVC last for decades.
If you are building or renovating a house, you are usually planning not just for the next few years but for the next generation. And that is exactly what sustainability means: taking a long-term view when making decisions, and considering future impacts.
Sustainability means taking responsibility – in economic and social terms. Sustainability means not wasting energy and enabling future generations to live a healthy life. Sustainability means a clean environment. Future-Friendly
A sustainable PVC window is therefore a window that will last many years, saves energy and is sparing with natural resources. But environmental and social standards in production are also important when it comes to assessing the sustainability of PVC windows.
Durability and functional reliability make PVC windows sustainable
New PVC windows will last several decades. When they reach the end of their useful life they are professionally dismantled and recycled in an established closed-loop system.
PVC windows make sustainability easy!
New PVC windows are good for the environment
Poorly insulated windows are far from sustainable. Although windows generally make up no more than 10% of the building envelope, old windows are responsible for losing up to 45% of a building’s heat. So installing new, highly insulating PVC windows can significantly lower the amount of energy needed to heat a building – and cut CO2 emissions.
Something else that makes PVC windows sustainable is the fact that they have practically no environmental impacts in use. They are extremely weather-resistant and do not need to be painted. And they are also very easy to clean. Clear water is generally all you need to remove any dirt.
Sustainable recycling of old PVC windows
Since the Earth’s resources are limited, the entire construction industry will have to switch to a circular economy model in the future. Promoting a circular economy is also one of the main aspects of the European Green Deal.
A circular economy is one in which all materials are completely recycled – as in nature. PVC windows can already be almost completely recycled without any loss of quality.
Back in 1993, as a pioneer of this kind of closed material loop, VEKA established a waste management subsidiary, VEKA Umwelttechnik. Since then, we have exported our successful recycling concept to the UK and France. Each year, our recycling division sustainably recycles more than 100,000 tonnes of old PVC windows, doors, roller shutters and profile offcuts across all our sites.
At VEKA we are proud of our closed recycling loop and the high energy efficiency of our products.
40 million windows with sustainably recycled PVC
And, on the other hand, the manufacturing process for recycled PVC produces much less CO2. VEKA has managed to save 78,000 tonnes of CO2 so far. And the recycled PVC is of such a high quality that it can be used to produce new sustainable PVC windows – 40 million of them already.
VEKA Umwelttechnik has already recycled 25 million PVC windows.
VinylPlus – sustainability for PVC in Europe
The VinylPlus product label is the first European sustainability label for PVC. It is based on a highly demanding catalogue of requirements that is checked by independent third-party auditors. ‘To qualify for the VinylPlus Product Label – from a holistic company policy to the sustainability of the products,’ says Stefan Eingärtner, Technical Director of VinylPlus.
‘Anyone who is awarded the label can count themselves among the leading providers of sustainable PVC solutions.’ VEKA was one of the first companies to be awarded the label and renewed its certification in 2020. VEKA is also involved in many other industry associations and institutions.
Saving energy in PVC window production
Sustainability starts with production. For instance, there are many ways to save energy in the production of PVC profiles. By recycling old windows, it is possible to reduce both material and energy consumption significantly.
The recycled material inside the profile is exactly the same quality as new material. In addition, at VEKA we use an energy management system certified to ISO 50001, and we make sure that a high proportion of the electricity we purchase comes from renewable sources.
