Durability of UPVC
• UPVC windows are tough, durable and made from a material which the Building Research Establishment (BRE) has given a service life of at least 35 years.

• UPVC windows and doors are low maintenance so they do not need to be painted and maintained over their lifetime like windows made from alternative materials such as timber. This reduces the requirement for working at height.

• With advanced design and styling, including a wide range of natural colours and textures, UPVC windows  and doors can be specified to perfectly complement every housing type from traditional to modern.

• Over 80% of home owners and tenants prefer UPVC to any other option.

UPVC is Safe & Secure
• UPVC complies with all the latest health & safety and security requirements including, when specified, compliance with Secured by Design, the UK Police initiative supporting the principles of ‘designing out crime’ by use of effective crime prevention and security standards for a range of applications.

• The UPVC industry leads the way when it comes to continuous improvement of security, health and safety measures integrated into its windows and doors and advanced locking mechanisms meaning high levels of safety and security.

UPVC is Environmentally Sound
• UPVC manufacturing processes go beyond the strictest UK and EU legislation through a Voluntary Commitment by the PVC industry to sustainability.

• UPVC windows and doors are low maintenance through out their service life compared to alternatives. This avoids the ongoing environmental damage associated with the cleaning chemicals, solvents and paints needed to protect and maintain windows and doors made from other materials.

• Good environmental life cycle performance.

Versatility of UPVC
• UPVC is an inherently tough material yet it can be processed to accommodate virtually any design requirement allowing aesthetic integration with all building styles and locations.

• A virtually limitless choice of designs and the ability to tailor the UPVC installation to specifier and architects needs mean UPVC also offers great versatility in all types of housing project.

• Advanced locking mechanisms mean high levels of safety and security, whilst a range of tilt and turn options bring the benefit of fresh air ventilation whilst acting as a robust deterrent to opportunist theft.

Economical & Energy Efficient of UPVC Windows
• UPVC windows and doors provide exceptional cost effectiveness especially energy savings from heating your homes.

• The Northern Consortium of Housing Authorities in the UK carries out regular surveys of the cost of window systems and this shows UPVC’s continuing economic benefit both in capital and maintenance costs – typically around 30% compared with softwood alternatives.

• The British Fenestration Rating Council www.bfrc.org rate windows of different materials on their energy efficiency and is recognised within the industry as a key marker on energy efficiency

• Continuous development has led to considerable improvements in thermal efficiency – with significant savings on home heating costs, reductions in energy loss and a commitment to sustainability.

UPVC is Sustainable
• UPVC is the world’s most researched polymer with numerous life cycle analyses conducted in the UK and the EU indicating the material is as sustainable as any other option.

• The major ingredient of UPVC is common salt – an abundant natural resource. UPVC window products are fully recyclable at the end of their life.

UPVC is Recyclable
• UPVC windows are being recycled at the end of their service life in to other useful products.

• The industry has developed highly successful recycling systems for UPVC, including construction materials and has targets to recycle increasing quantities of UPVC every year across Europe

• In the UK the Recovinyl Scheme has developed an infrastructure of 130 collectors and 30 recyclers of UPVC construction materials to recycle products at the end of their service lives.

• A study by the Government funded Waste and Resource Allocation Programme (WRAP) suggests that some alternative materials are practically impossible to recycle efficiently, due to the paints, solvents and putties used to install and protect them during their service lives.

• In 2007, the UK recycled 42,162 tonnes of post-consumer PVC, which includes windows and doors and also flexible products such as flooring and cable.

Advantages of UPVC Windows
• UPVC windows are available in many colours, depending on the manufacturer, with many offering a variety of colours, from white to green and also offering wood-effect models.y energy efficient.

• In the fifty years since PVC was first introduced for windows and doors, the material has benefited from continuous improvements in manufacturing as well as advanced engineering and profile design.

• The BRE “Green Guide To Specification”, updated in 2008, UPVC windows have been awarded an ‘A’ rating for domestic windows and an ‘A+’ rating for commercial windows, proving the environmental credentials of PVC windows. www.thegreenguide.org.uk.

For more information on UPVC Windows and Doors visit:  www.conservatoryoutlet.co.uk or find out more on UPVC at www.pvcaware.org. The PVCaware.org campaign is an initiative from the British Plastics Federation’s Windows Group to promote awareness of the versatility of PVC as a material and also of PVC-U windows.