A Daily Telegraph article highlighting the eco advantages of wood compared with rival materials is evidence of the timber industry’s sustainability message hitting home, according to the British Woodworking Federation (BWF).
The paper’s property supplement flagged up double-glazed Forest Stewardship Council-certified timber windows as an “eco option” compared with PVCu units, which “produce large amounts of toxic waste during production”. It also said internal timber frame walls consume far less energy in their production than lightweight aggregate blocks.
BWF Timber Window Accreditation scheme manager Adam Frankling said: “It shows the message that the BWF, wood. for good and others are trying to get across – that timber is the most sustainable and only truly renewable resource – is hitting home.”
He said the article showed that energy efficiency and sustainability were at the forefront of people’s minds, especially in new build housing.
The article said typical PVCu windows cost £150 each, whereas FSC double-glazed timber units were about £285. However, Mr Frankling, said costings were not necessarily on a like-for-like basis and the favourable whole-life cost of well maintained timber units should be taken into consideration.
