Resources

New research behind our claims

The Wood Window Alliance has commissioned new research to show that the windows manufactured by its members really do last longer, offer better long-term value and reduce a building’s carbon footprint.

Service life research undertaken by Imperial College London, has examined the influence of modern substrate, design and coating systems on the service life of fully factory finished timber windows.

The work, undertaken in accordance with BS ISO 15686-8 (2006). Buildings and constructed assets - Service life planning Part 8: Reference service life and service life estimation, builds on earlier work conducted by Imperial College (2003/4) on behalf of Akzo Nobel Ltd and accounts for the effect of factors such as timber substrate, “best practice” window design, factory applied paint systems and factory glazing techniques on the service life of wood windows.

By using this information, it is possible to present clearer evidence on the whole life costing of wood windows during the life of a building.

This latest research builds on earlier research undertaken by Davis Langdon for the Wood Window Alliance which compared the environmental impact of timber and PVC-U windows.  Davis Langdon confirmed that, despite carbon emissions from transport, production, maintenance and end of life, the overall life cycle of Wood Window Alliance manufacturers’ window frames is carbon negative, and so has a positive impact on climate change.

• Service Life and Whole Life Cost findings
• Embodied CO₂ research

PRODCOM Reports

The Office of National Statistics annually publish PRODCOM reports on the carpentry and joinery industry. Click here for the latest report based on 2005.

Palmer Market Research Update

Palmer Market Research regularly keeps an account of the UK window market as a whole. This is a press release on the findings of their most current report, which looks positive for timber windows.

Market report on timber glazing products

Links

Here are some useful links to other reports that are widely available about wood windows. (Please note the WWA do not take any responsibility for the content of these publications.)

WWF Report

Greenpeace Report

Greenspec Report

Report on the procurement policies of various councils preferring wood windows

Here are some useful links for standards & regulations

Building Regulations, notably parts B, E, F, L, J and particularly part N, apply to windows.
Visit www.planningportal.gov.uk/approveddocuments

Building regulations in Scotland differ. For more information refer to the Technical Handbooks available at www.sbsa.gov.uk.

For Northern Ireland refer to www.dfpni.gov.uk/br-technical-booklets