Speaking on their decision to use Accoya for the project, creative director Tom Jones-Marquez said:
Being able to stand by our work is key for us and the stability and durability of Accoya allows us to do this more so, than with any other timber”.
The campaign features the first UK TV commercial to promote Accoya wood
The commercial will air from Monday 27th March 2023 on Sky, supported by digital advertising including YouTube and other social media channels.
The launch of a new UK national advertising campaign, “Lasts a Lifetime”, highlights the high performance of Accoya wood to homeowners.
The campaign will launch with a commercial on Sky TV targeting a subset of the homeowner market audience. This will be supported by digital, ads running through the spring.
The commercial on Sky is expected to reach an audience of more than 3.1M homeowners with and ad frequency of 5.5. It follows a young family’s life through the lens of an Accoya window, charting the ups and downs of a relationship between a father and his daughter over the years. The window acts as a constant in their ever-changing lives.
George Neel, Communications, Marketing and ESG Director, Accsys, commented: “As we move into the warmer months many people are considering replacing their windows and doors. Windows and doors are one of the biggest investments to add value to a home and choosing the right material is key. We want to ensure homeowners understand the durability and reliability benefits of Accoya and know that it lasts a lifetime.”
09.02.2023
Welcome to our first edition of Accoya Insights – our bi-monthly newsletter bringing you relevant company updates and key developments from around the world.
This edition includes:
December 2022
02.12.2022
We are pleased to share our positive updates with you, including the successful commissioning of our fourth reactor in Arnhem and plant construction in North America, both leading to increased Accoya production capacity!
It’s been a busy time for Accoya, with several award wins, numerous projects, and the introduction of our new innovation, Accoya Color. Find out more within the RoundUp below.
In Darling Harbour on 1-2 June 22, Curvwood attended the Sydney Build Expo, showcasing their products and use of Accoya wood.
05.07.2022
The annual Sydney Build Expo was held at the ICC in Darling Harbour on 1-2 June 22. Over 17,000 exhibitors attended to hear from market leaders and learn about technologies, products and services being offered for the built environment.
Curvwood is an Australian based manufacturing company specialising in glue laminated (glulam) timber structures. They have completed many successful Accoya projects and promoted Accoya as part of their offering at the Sydney Build Expo show.
“We love specifying and using Accoya because it ticks so many of the boxes our clients are looking for” says Communications Director, Eva Dellow, she continues “Using Accoya to create custom glulam solutions further adds to the credibility of the jobs we produce. It’s stability, performance and sustainability credentials along with its 50 year guarantee makes Accoya an easy and wise choice for our clients projects, particularly in external applications”.
24.03.2022
In this Winter edition we’re pleased to share the latest Accoya production news – including insight into our expansion programme in Arnhem and an exciting update about North America…
We also have a new Project Collection that brings together inspiring stories and images from Accoya projects all over the world.
If you have news or case studies you’d like to share for our next issue, please get in touch.
10.11.2021
Oyster farming in the Southern Hemisphere
In Australia there is a booming industry in oyster farming going back to the 19th century; many of these oyster farms appear in river estuaries along the eastern and southern coast lines of Australia.
The principle is that the oysters thrive on what are essentially pollutants: excess chemicals and nutrients (e.g. nitrogen and phosphorous from fertilisers) that are washed off the land upstream and washed down into these estuaries, where the oysters filter these nutrients out of the water as they live and grow! In some ways then, oyster farming is quite good for the environment.
The oysters are caged in baskets strung between wooden poles and rails. The challenge here is that these are very particular and challenging conditions for timber to perform in. Not only have you got the moisture and the warmth that would encourage rot and decay but there is actually a bigger problem than that: shipworms, that live in salt water. One of a number of animals known as ‘marine borers’, these shipworms can quite easily eat through and undermine the structure of the wood. A nice meal for a few marine borers could break the wooden structures, meaning several very nice (and valuable) pots of oysters floating off out to sea – not a great result.
So, to eliminate the problem, the wood needs to be given qualities and performance to resist rot and shipworms. Traditionally this was done with non-durable or chemically treated toxic wood species or products, until now.
The challenge therefore is to find a more sustainable, non-toxic and durable alternative for these timber posts and rails.
Accoya is created with a different principle: the actual wood itself is changed and enhanced by boosting the presence of molecule groups that are already a natural part of the wood. It becomes more stable, more durable…and highly resistant (or unappetising) to shipworms!
Partnering with Britton Timbers, a long-standing Accoya distributor in Australia, Accoya wood has been supplied for use for oyster seed trays and posts to Australian oyster farms since 2015 and is currently undergoing a testing programme.
Backed up with a 10-year warranty for this application, Accoya offers a unique solution to the challenge for oyster farms. It is sustainable, non-toxic and has an excellent reputation around the world for many applications, but this application is unique and could change the industry.
Testing of Accoya wood, undertaken by Australian Forestry Research Council, has seen posts of Accoya bedded in the estuary assessed over the course of two years between 2015 & 2017. There was a lot of aquatic life on the Accoya posts – showing its compatibility with the local flora and fauna – but when you clean it off and cut through the posts you can see the Accoya wood itself is pristine and clear of damage or decay with no evidence of shipworms boring themselves in the wood.
In the four years since then there is still good performance from the Accoya with no breakdown or durability issues at all. This test proves the combination of durability and non-toxicity is possible and effective, which over time can allow for the use of Accoya wood to replace the other wood species that have been used traditionally, making it the ideal material for oyster farms across Australia.
Where to Buy
You can buy Accoya and Accoya products from our selection of distributors or manufacturers in your region. Use our map search tool to find your nearest Accoya supplier.
06.10.2021
Ultra-high performance and sustainable wood product Accoya® has successfully retained its Gold and Platinum Cradle to Cradle® (C2C) status in recognition of the outstanding sustainability credentials across the lifespan of the product.
Cradle to Cradle® certification is awarded by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute and is the leading industry standard for environmental performance and societal impact within construction and joinery.
The retained Gold C2C certification, which Accoya has held for more than a decade, highlights the company’s impressive sustainable wood sourcing strategy, non-toxic product and use of more than 50% renewable energy in production. The separate Platinum certification in the Material Health category recognises that the product poses no danger to either the environment or human health, and is the highest possible certification level.
George Neel, Group Marketing and Communications Director at Accsys said: “We are delighted that Accoya has once again been awarded C2C Gold status. New, more stringent, assessment processes make the re-certification even more reflective of the Accsys’ purpose and values. Our environmental impact is of huge importance to us, from our FSC® certified timber sources to our acetylation process that enables our wood to be safely recycled or incinerated. We’re committed to producing an ultra-high performance product whilst balancing our social and environmental responsibilities and this recognition is testament to the success of this purpose led strategy.”
Accoya is a natural fit for the C2C biocycle while still matching or exceeding the technical performance of non-renewable, carbon-intensive materials such as PVC, aluminium and concrete. It also provides a sustainable alternative to tropical hardwoods, with performance credentials that exceed the most durable species. Manufactured using a proprietary acetylation process, Accoya wood delivers industry leading levels of stability, durability, and sustainability. The product withstands the most extreme external environments, requires very low maintenance and it backed up by 90 years of research and development to provide confidence in its reliability.
Products are reassessed by the C2C Products Innovation Institute every two years, and Accoya wood has now been successfully recertified until August 2023. For further information visit www.accoya.com
24.06.2021
The Accoya wood brand from Accsys has won gold and bronze at the Transform Europe Awards 2021. The Transform awards recognise and celebrate the best of the best in brand strategy, development and transformation – how a company, brand or product’s visual identity, story and proposition can make an impact.
Accoya, the brand of stable, durable and sustainable solid wood won the first place Gold award for “Best visual identity from the engineering and manufacturing sector”, and Bronze for “Best rebrand of a digital property”.
Over the past year Accsys, working with independent brand agency Mr B & Friends, has redeveloped, relaunched and refined its Accoya branding and brought a class-leading website to the world: connecting business and consumer customers to both the product and each other, making the journey from awareness to decision and purchase easier and smoother than ever before.
Pictured right: Kate Gorringe – Mr B and Friends
Laura Keily – Accsys
‘Accoya – a new way of thinking about wood’ shows, tells and illustrates the unique properties and benefits of the product: enhancing the natural qualities of wood while negating its traditional weaknesses, creating a building material that offers distinct advantages compared to tropical hardwoods, plastics and other materials.
Working with its distributors and manufacturers who create end products – such as doors, windows, cladding and decking – from Accoya wood, people throughout the value chain can quickly and easily find the information they need, understand the benefits and proposition of the product, and then find and contact the right vendor for their requirements.
In 2020 Accsys also won Bronze for “Best strategic or creative development of a new brand” for its corporate brand.
See the Transform Awards winners article here.
Pictured left: Jen Neville & Kate Gorringe – Mr B and Friends
Laura Keily & Natalie Davies – Accsys
13.05.2021
Our Accoya RoundUp e-magazine has been refreshed and the Spring issue is out now. This new style of newsletter will be a quarterly publication to summarise our progress and achievements over the previous 3 months. As well as putting the spotlight on our end-users and their outstanding Accoya wood projects.
Key things included:
If you have news or case studies you’d like to share for our Summer issue, please get in touch.
Today, on 11 March 2021, we’re marking 14 years exactly since the first ever batch of Accoya wood was produced: a milestone in our journey that we’re enormously proud of!
11.03.2021
Since that inaugural batch back in 2007 the world has changed a lot and our business has evolved and grown, but there are at least two things that we have all been able to rely on: the high quality and lasting appeal of our Accoya wood, and the support of our partners.
Over the last 14 years, Accsys has worked with distributors to bring Accoya to the world. We’ve developed partnerships and relationships in Europe, the USA and Americas, Japan and across Australasia to name just a few. Our distributors and manufacturers really are key to our success. Many have transformed their businesses by using Accoya to make long-lasting products which come without the issues and callbacks experienced with other wood species. It’s one sign of true confidence in the quality of our wood that distributors who were with us from the very beginning are still actively selling and marketing Accoya today.
So, today we’d like to thank all our friends, colleagues and associates and partners – the distributors, sub-distributors, manufacturers and system partners – who have helped us shape the future for sustainable, long-lasting building materials since 2007. We also want to thank the architects, specifiers, developers and homeowners for choosing Accoya and making the world a more sustainable place – and it’s always a privilege to see our wood showcased in so many stunning designs and settings around the world!
Accoya is made using sustainable, responsibly grown and harvested FSC® certified wood and is Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Gold overall with a Platinum rating for Material Health. Its unparalleled structural stability, incredible durability and excellent sustainability credentials make it a truly unmatched product for a wide range of applications and situations.
Accoya has been used in projects around the world as a high-performance timber of choice for years, and it all started in Scotland back in 2006. The first worldwide Accoya project took place in Glenrothes in Fife, Scotland when architectural designer Gordon Aitkin installed Accoya cladding on his own new family home. For him, sustainability and durability were crucial in the harsh Scottish climate.
It’s due to Accoya’s exceptional dimensional stability, barely shrinking or swelling at all, that coatings will last longer even in tough environmental climates. It’s not just up in Scotland that we’ve been able to see first-hand the exceptional performance of Accoya though – there are projects all over the world, from Antarctica to Asia, beaches to mountaintops, and almost everywhere in between. With our commitment to quality, we also have testing rigs set up in Arnhem in the Netherlands that have monitored the performance of Accoya over the last decade with leading coatings company Remmers. After 14 years of exposure, the tests showed no visible coating degradation even with zero maintenance.
A Sustainable Focus
In recent years, sustainability has become a key global focus and the building industry is no exception. Architects, designers and manufacturers now look to use building materials which not only perform well and look good but come with genuine sustainability credentials.
Accoya wood’s green credentials are wide-ranging and well-established, with its Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Gold status really standing out amongst other building materials. Cradle to Cradle is a globally recognised measure of safer, more sustainable products made for the circular economy. Brands like Google and M&S, for example, are now adopting Accoya for innovative wooden facades because of our unique combination of sustainability and high-performance advantages.
Looking beyond the product itself, last year we launched the Accsys 2020 Sustainability Report. This sets out our strategy for and approach and commitment to sustainability across all aspects of our business. It really does underline our purpose at Accsys: changing wood to change the world, with today marking 14 years of doing just that.
Since that very first batch in 2007 Accsys has expanded our offering in both availability and scope to give even greater choice and versatility to the construction industry. We’ve constantly refined and developed our Accoya production processes and buying options, and developed Tricoya®, many of the Accoya’s long list of benefits to the world in panel form, unlocking vast creative and functional potential for a more sustainable built environment. We’ll be opening the world’s first Tricoya plant this year, an exciting prospect and quite amazing in the context of Accoya’s 14th ‘birthday’!
As we’re celebrating Accoya today though, we shouldn’t forget to also mention that the new www.accoya.com launched recently, with updated branding and a whole new way to see and showcase the product and its uses in stunning detail – as well as simplifying the path to purchase.
So, maybe the question isn’t ‘why is Accoya still a favourite after 14 years’, but ‘why would you want to choose anything else?’
Where to Buy
You can buy Accoya and Accoya products from our selection of distributors or manufacturers in your region. Use our map search tool to find your nearest Accoya supplier.
05.01.2021
Fenders are not only an essential part of flood management assets in the Thames Estuary, they also provide unique bio-diversity niches in tidal waters, promoting healthy and diverse habitats.
Accoya wood, donated by Accsys via its distributor International Timber, is being used by the Environment Agency’s TEAM2100 programme as proof of concept that it can replace hardwood, provide habitat and contribute to achieving the organisation’s Net Zero ambition.
“TEAM2100 is the Environment Agency’s 10-year programme to refurbish and replace flood risk management assets in London and the Thames Estuary. Asset management approaches enable sustainable delivery. Choosing construction options and materials are part of this approach, and material ‘provenance’ is key to delivering sustainably. Certification processes, such as the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Products Program, help achieve this and permit identification of materials that consider the effects of their production on the environment, minimise energy and water use and aid social fairness. We look forward to observing the performance of Accoya wood as a potential substitute for hardwood.”
Dr Jo Guy, of the Environment Agency and Environment and Sustainability Manager.
Sustainability consultancy 540 WORLD worked with Accsys and TEAM2100 to implement this important sustainability initiative, with a view to more widespread substitution of slow-growing hardwood with fast-growing, rapidly carbon-sequestering and very durable Accoya. The lack of toxic or plastic-based additives to Accoya is vital to its use in these environments, eliminating the risk of potential leaching into the water and environmental or ecological harm.
Each cubic metre of Accoya contains nearly one tonne of CO2e absorbed by certified sustainable forests, and keep that carbon safely stored for decades: it is warrantied for 50 years above ground, and 25 years in fresh water, with previous tests also indicating exceptional durability and integrity in marine environments. This installation in the Thames Estuary will provide further data on long-term performance, adding to the consensus of positive data from sites in the Mediterranean and North Seas.
When you think of Belgium you think of Belgian chocolate and beer, but you should also think of Accoya!
07.12.2020
Due to the increasing popularity of sustainable materials, particularly within the building industry, it is not surprising that many builders are impressed by the advantages of wood.
Wood is a natural building material. It’s fully renewable and has good thermal properties.
Accoya has properties of hardwood but the sustainability credentials of fast-growing softwood. Due to its lightweight, dimensional stability and durability, Accoya wood is suitable for quick installation with the guarantee of a long life. This makes it an ideal solution for new construction, renovations and extensions.
Accoya is a revolutionary, modified and dimensionally stable wood. It delivers remarkable levels of performance and is a product that will stand the test of time.
Accoya wood is made by Accsys at its factory in Arnhem, The Netherlands.
Accsys transforms fast-growing certified sustainable wood into Accoya wood through a proprietary acetylation process. The result is a high-performing product with sustainability credentials greater than those of man-made materials, intensive resource depleting and highly carbon polluting alternatives.
This gives the world the choice to build sustainably, offering new opportunities for the built environment.
Check out these great projects located in Belgium built with Accoya!
This striking construction project is a new building for the CGG Waas & Dender (Center for Mental Health Care) in the Belgian city of Sint-Niklaas.
The offices and consultation rooms are equipped with Accoya for the facade and the exterior joinery.
Accoya was chosen by HA architects for its durability and a better alternative to tropical hardwoods.
The Police station in the small town of Molenbeek in Belgium was designed by Architectenbureau Emmanuel Bouffioux. After 5 years since the Accoya was installed in 2015, the facade is just as stable and shows a beautiful silver-grey weathering.
During a visit to the Police station, we were particularly curious about the performance of the Accoya wood as this project features challenging lines. The facade was a joy to see.
In projects like this, you truly see just how stable Accoya really is and where we can make a difference. We are convinced that this type of structure with good long-term results is only possible with Accoya.
Xavier Deruyttere- Martal Houtimport, Accoya Distributor in Belgium and Luxembourg
The Accoya wood is an overwhelming success. Even with the large dimensions of the windows, we have had a marginal effect. That would have been absolutely impossible with any other type of wood. In addition, it is an ecologically responsible type of wood, which is very important to us at our architectural office. Preserved Accoya has durability class 1, which means it will last more than 30 years. Most trees with this durability class have a very long growing time. Accoya wood comes from FSC certified plantations and has a short growing time of up to 30 years. This prevents deforestation, which occurs when more is cut than grows. “
Bart Demeestere – Architect (translated)
Houben built the new headquarters of the FNG Group in Mechelen, Antwerp. FNG is a Belgian fashion house known for the brands Fred & Ginger, Van Hassels, CKS and Baker Bridge.
The building was designed by Stéphane Beel Architects and is very eye-catching in the Mechelen station area.
The terrace was made of durable Accoya wood that hardly shrinks and swells, so that the terrace remains perfectly stable.
The Public Center for Social Welfare (OCMW) in Belgium opened its new service center in December 2019. The architectural firm GWM chose Accoya wood frames, doors and part of the external cladding.
In the application, the wood provides warm accents on the concrete facade. The dimensional stability of Accoya wood makes it ideal for exterior joinery. ”
Cindy de Maaskamp, Architect, Architectenbureau GWM
Anyone thinking of the future must consider wood for construction.
Belgium: Beer, Chocolate and Accoya!
29.10.2020
These makers and builders have sustainability in mind, and are creating more and more projects with the Accoya wood that’s produced in the city.
In Arnhem we turn timber from fast-growing, renewable and sustainable forests into Accoya wood; from Arnhem this durable, stable product is shipped all over the world; in Arnhem itself you can see the appeal and impact it has on the community.
From the world’s largest covered mangrove to the park restaurant furniture and the window frames and facade of the gift shop, Accoya wood is loved by the Arnhem zoo:
“By choosing Accoya you make a sustainable choice. Because of our experience with the wood in previous projects in the park and because we are convinced of the quality, we do not hesitate to use the sustainable wood again”.
The 3,000 square metre “Burgers’ Mangrove” is the largest indoor mangrove in the world. Koninklijke Burgers’ Zoo Arnhem based the area on the mangrove forests bordering the coast of the Central American country of Belize.
Mangroves are often known as the ‘nurseries of the sea’, with their unique climate and complex habitat acting as home and shelter to countless animals and species.
In the extremely humid indoor climate, a material was needed that wouldn’t deteriorate from the moisture in the air: Accoya wood, with its unique properties and best-in-class Material Health rating, was the natural choice for the scaffolding, cabins, sheds, porch and butterfly exhibit.
A series of park benches designed as a parting gift to the municipality of Arnhem from former mayor Pauline Krikke. Designed by Arthur Rottier, the durable Accoya wood benches have a 50-year warranty to stand as a lasting memento of her contribution to the city.
The 600m2 bistro bar and catering pavilion known as FortVier was created by four friends as a place to enjoy and celebrate life. Designed by H²A Architecture and Urban Planning, it features Accoya wood for the cladding, roof, and unique decorative logo. With a largely open and free floor plan the building also has internal folding walls and can be rearranged inside into café, restaurant and party room areas.
“We deliberately chose Accoya because it is the ultimate sustainable product with a natural look.”
Architect Suzanne Nagtegaal from BuroBois designs with an eye to the future: “Buildings last longer if they are deliberately designed. The sustainability of a building is partly determined by how it is constructed, which materials are used, how it is insulated and how the building is oriented in relation to, for example, the sun.”
With the citizens’ initiative ‘Here once stood a church’, a long-held wish to return the old stained-glass windows of the Kleine Eusebiuskerk Church (demolished in 1990) to their original location in the Coehoornpark has been fulfilled.
Accsys was proud to support this by sponsoring the Accoya wood frames, working with local carpenters and craftsmen to create the unique, colourful and historic gate.
This Accoya framed information board offers locals and visitors walking routes through the Arnhem nature and recreation area ‘Stadsblokken Meinerswijk’.
“It’s really great to use this wonderful innovative material for Arnhem bottom-up projects. After years in rain and wind, still like new! ”
Café het Moortgat on the Ruiterstaart in Arnhem has commissioned Collectief Soepel from Arnhem to make a folding façade bench with weather-resistant wood. Offering an unexpected place to rest in front of the cafe, or enjoy a coffee in the sun, the bench can fold away at quiet times. Collectief Flexible chose Accoya because of the beautiful natural appearance of the wood combined with its durability for outdoor use.
Designed by Hurenkamp architects from Velp, this loft house in the midst of the city uses the pale Accoya cladding sections to create an eye-catching, elegant façade.
Foodhall Arnhem, located on the Rijnkade in Arnhem, brings over a dozen world cuisines together in one place. The food hall hosts enthusiastic entrepreneurs and culinary talents providing a huge variety of the tastiest meals, snacks and drinks. Welcoming visitors is the beautiful entrance made of sustainable Accoya wood.
Accsys, the producer of Accoya wood, moved to an attractive new office location in Arnhem a couple of years ago. The new building combines the office and production facilities to form one connected complex, resulting in non-residential construction of more than 19,000m². Hurenkamp Architecten & Adviseurs and Bruil construction company have made modern and unique choices in the materials and finish of the office: from the unique ‘wood cell’ façade to the frequent and widespread use of Accoya and Tricoya inside and out.
The walkway to the entrance of the Accsys offices is equipped with designer outdoor lighting: the STRADA by timberlab. It is a lamppost made of layers of Accoya wood, carefully curved into shape for a durable, elegant lighting solution that blends organic materials with modern techniques and aesthetics. Left untreated, the wood will weather over time to a silvered colour as the fixtures become part of the natural environment.
Projects
Where to Buy
You can buy Accoya and Accoya products from our selection of distributors or manufacturers in your region. Use our map search tool to find your nearest Accoya supplier.
16.09.2020
After four years of construction, the expanded, renovated and updated Stadtcasino Basel (Switzerland) reopened on 22 August 2020 with 1,100m2 of Accoya wood cladding on the CHF 77.5m extension inspired by the look of the original building’s neo-Baroque stone architecture.
The unparalleled dimensional stability of Accoya wood made it the ideal material to profile, join and coat in a way that could match the original styling from a distance, then offer an interesting surprise up close: discovering it is, in fact, finely crafted and detailed wooden siding, combining the old and the new but with a consistent style.
Herzog & De Meuron architects re-envisioned the Stadtcasino’s Stehlin concert hall as a new, fully independent building. When originally built in 1876, budget constraints severely curtailed construction, and tacked-on extensions in the 1930s did little to help. This meant redesigning the entire west half of the site, developing what was a smaller annex into what now looks like a natural completion of the original design to include an entrance, foyer, backstage area and facilities that the concert hall deserves. While the east side’s historic stone masonry remains intact, the extension uses cleverly profiled and joined Accoya wood for its CHF 1.15m façade.
The architects approached engineers Pirmin Jung AG with a challenge: how to match the style of the original main building but with an interesting, surprising twist. From a distance the similarity is remarkable, but when approaching closer the new extension’s natural, sustainable provenance becomes clearer – the surprise is that it isn’t stone at all, but innovative wooden siding.
Mario Hess, Structural Engineering Project Manager with Pirmin Jung, said: “Accoya wood was chosen to fulfill the constructional challenge, the architectural expectation and the façade’s fine details. Its dimensional stability and durability were vital, and many other materials would be too heavy as well. The way Accoya works with coatings, while still retaining the un-mistakeable look and feel of real wood grain, was a real added bonus for this unique project.”
17 different profiles of Accoya timber were provided by distributor Holzpur AG and carpenter PM Mangold for the siding, and a ‘test wall’ was built to monitor performance of the wood and coating over a period of two years ahead of final construction. This made certain that the look and performance were suitable, and the result is a building with two very different finishes on its old and new halves looking like a single, complete and beautiful design with subtle distinguishing characteristics.
The image on the left clearly depicts the two different surfaces: Accoya wood (left half) and stone (right half) match in a common style.
The acetylation process that drastically improves Accoya’s dimensional stability and durability penetrates throughout the timber without adding toxic elements or chemicals that could leach out. This also means that even the cut faces of the boards could be safely visible, exposed and coated, allowing the precise work and clean, detailed finish that this project required without compromising on either aesthetics or durability.
The Stadtcasino Basel Stehlin concert hall dates back to 1876 and is one of Europe’s most important concert halls. Herzog & De Meuron began the project with an urban study in 2012, and the restoration, preservation and new construction work has been ongoing for the last four years to create a new public space befitting the Barfüsserplatz in the center of Basel.
Architecture: Herzog & De Meuron
Engineering: PIRMIN JUNG Switzerland AG
Accoya distributor: Holzpur AG
Carpenter: PM Mangold AG
Coating system: Keim
Copyright photos:
Main photo: © Stadtcasino Basel | © Roman Weyeneth
Other photos: © PIRMIN JUNG Switzerland AG
Where to Buy
You can buy Accoya and Accoya products from our selection of distributors or manufacturers in your region. Use our map search tool to find your nearest Accoya supplier.
17.06.2020
We want to inform, create awareness, and above all inspire people with what they can accomplish using Accoya® wood, and our new website is designed to do just that.
We still have all the information, data and details about Accoya’s fantastic qualities and sustainability, but now we’re really showing just what you can do with it.
There are new ways to explore our major applications of windows, doors, cladding/siding and decking, and an extensive (and filterable) projects section that highlights some of the amazing places and buildings around the world that feature Accoya® wood.
We want to provide an online experience that delivers useful, relevant and inspirational content to all our audiences, and helps you find what you want and need through either browsing or searching – and our new ‘Knowledge Hub’ can help answer any questions you may have.
Complementing this, we’ve also made it much easier to buy Accoya® wood for your own project. Our ‘Where to Buy’ section provides you with local and national listings for the distributors and trained manufacturers best placed to help you, no matter where you live or what you want to do!
With this new, more tailored and local focus, we are also now presenting a truly global brand for Accoya. When you first visit the site, you will be automatically routed to your local version of the website – in your local language and showing you the most relevant content. We have started this off with five localised websites for our current largest geographic markets, and are set up to extend this further as we continue to grow.
The new Accoya® website is a big step forward for us as we grow and evolve Accoya® and its brand, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
03.05.2020
Designed and manufactured by Bath Bespoke, Accoya was selected for the windows and French windows and doors throughout this stunning country home on the outskirts of Bath.
All the windows and doors were completely bespoke and crafted using traditional methods by the team at Bath Bespoke. Working closely with their clients and their selected architects, Bath Bespoke combined a mixture of styles – some sleek, contemporary elements and some period style mouldings to complement the exposed stone throughout the property.
Accoya was chosen as the ideal wood for the project thanks to its seamless quality finish and its ability not to shrink or swell during seasonal weather changes, meaning Accoya doors and windows open and close effortlessly all year round.
Speaking on their decision to use Accoya for the project, creative director Tom Jones-Marquez said:
Being able to stand by our work is key for us and the stability and durability of Accoya allows us to do this more so, than with any other timber”.
11.03.2020
HMS Warrior, Britain’s first iron-hulled armoured battleship. Launched in 1860, Warrior was the pride of Queen Victoria’s fleet. Powered by steam and sail, she was the largest, fastest and most powerful naval ship of her day and had a lasting impact on naval architecture and design.
Painstakingly restored in Hartlepool and back home in Portsmouth since 1987, Warrior is a unique survivor of the once formidable Victorian Black Battlefleet and now serves as a museum ship.
The ship has more recently undergone a major restoration using large volumes of Accoya for replacing the gunwales and other parts of the ship that had slipped into a poor state. Accoya wood was selected due to its durability, ability to withstand extreme conditions and its dimensional stability, making it an ideal material for projects such as this.
To further enhance Accoya’s aesthetic, Remmers waterborne Sealing Primer, SW-910 end grain sealer and Compact Opaque PU brushing system was applied.
Accsys is delighted to have been chosen as winner of the Building Technology of the Year category in the BusinessGreen Technology Awards 2019, for its sustainable, durable and stable Accoya® wood product.
06.12.2019
Accsys is delighted to have been chosen as winner of the Building Technology of the Year category in the BusinessGreen Technology Awards 2019, for its sustainable, durable and stable Accoya® wood product.
Accsys combines chemistry, technology and ingenuity to make high-performance wood products that enable new, sustainable choices for developing the built environment. Using fast-growing, sustainably-sourced timber, Accsys creates long-life wood products with properties that can compete with traditional non-sustainable building materials, such as tropical hardwoods, metal, plastic and concrete.
Accoya® is created through a proprietary acetylation process that boosts the already naturally-occurring acetyl content of wood, and by doing so, reduces the ability of the wood to absorb water. This makes it much more dimensionally stable, and extremely durable, with a 50 year above ground and 25 year in-ground or freshwater warranty.
Accoya® is Cradle to Cradle Certified™ at the Gold level, recognising its status as one of the most bio-cycle friendly building materials available: it contains no toxic chemicals, is sourced from renewable, sustainable forests, has a low carbon footprint, and can be recycled like normal wood.
The BusinessGreen Technology Awards are now in their 5th year and recognise some of the most exciting green technology businesses and innovations in the UK.
The Building Technology of the Year category is for the most exciting recent developments in green construction and property, with judges looking for innovative and inspiring green building technologies that are working to cut environmental impacts and improve building performance.
Accsys is delighted to have been chosen as winner of the Building Technology of the Year category in the BusinessGreen Technology Awards 2019, for its sustainable, durable and stable Accoya® wood product.
02.10.2019
Laura Keily
Head of Product Marketing
The Handlebar Café is cycle-friendly, socially-sourced, straddles an old railway line and was designed by the young minds of spudYOUTH, a RIBA award winning charity. Accsys has been supporting the project throughout its development, contributing both funding and sustainable, long-lasting Accoya® wood for its cladding and decking.
Accsys, together with its distributor James Latham (www.lathamtimber.co.uk), has provided the Accoya wood to help the students realise their dream project: a cyclist-friendly and community-centred café along the Viaduct Cycle Path at the foot of St Catherine’s Hill, south of Winchester.
After extraordinary community support from local businesses, individuals and the local authorities, over £350,000 was raised turning their concept into a reality with Handlebar Café officially opening for business yesterday.
A ‘model of sustainability’ and constructed largely from timber, the design was inspired by the train carriages that no longer run along the railway line. Fitting in perfectly to the project’s sustainability goals is the use of Accoya® wood for the exterior elements.
Accsys’ proprietary acetylation process transforms FSC® certified, sustainable, fast growing wood into a building material that can also outperform man-made, unsustainable or heavily carbon-polluting alternatives. This means the Handlebar Café will not only look great, but will also be locking up captured atmospheric carbon in the wood of its walls and flooring for decades.
As Accoya wood is so stable and durable, the trees used to make them will actually be regrown several times over during the lifetime of products made from it – and the carbon footprint for production is very low (or even negative).
Local children, working with the spudYOUTH charity, designed and planned the venue to provide ethically-sourced food and drink, cycle hire and repair facilities, and training and jobs for young and long-term unemployed people.
It will also provide a venue for charity and community activities, with up to 140 free architecture workshops per year for up to 20 young people each. The project also aims to promote healthy and environmentally friendly living – not only through encouraging cycling, but also through ethical, local and sustainable sourcing.
Mark Drury, Director, SPUD said:
“this is the culmination of a tremendous amount of hard work by all the team involved. The support from the local authorities, local businesses and individuals has been truly incredible and without it we could not have reached this point. It’s been a fantastic journey working with all the team and in particular the young people. SPUD believes passionately in enabling young people to make take an active role in their community and make a real difference.”
Heather Evans, Director, Bespoke Biking said:
“We are passionate about encouraging and helping everybody, no matter what their age or ability, to cycle. After over five years of dreaming, planning and building, the Handlebar Café is now a reality. We are so excited and proud to see it complete and open for business in its beautiful Winchester setting. Alongside our main Bike Hub in the centre of town, we are delighted to offer the Handlebar Café as a fantastic destination to walk or ride to. We can’t wait for people to come and taste our great coffee, cakes and locally sourced sausage rolls, pies and pastries.
“Our aspiration is for the Handlebar Café to become a focal point for the local community and visitors, helping everyone appreciate the area’s fantastic natural environment. We are looking forward to continuing our partnership work with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust to help enhance the area and encourage the public to come and enjoy everything that this wonderful beauty spot has to offer.”
Accsys is committed to sustainability for the built environment, and is pleased to support this unique project by some potential architects of the future.
Find out more about Accsys at www.accsysplc.com
Architects: architecturePLB
Construction Team: Bespoke Modular Developments and BlueFish Construction
Engineers: ARUP
Photos: Pulse8 / Julia Conway Photography
Accsys is delighted to have been chosen as winner of the Building Technology of the Year category in the BusinessGreen Technology Awards 2019, for its sustainable, durable and stable Accoya® wood product.
26.07.2019
The sustainable, stable and durable wood also retains its Platinum level in the Material Health classification.
Accoya® wood, the high performance wood designed for outdoor use and challenging applications, has been recognised once again for its environmental credentials and sustainable long life by the prestigious Cradle to Cradle CertifiedTM Products Program.
The Gold certificate was re-awarded to Accoya wood as it is completely non-toxic, has a sustainable sourcing strategy, and meets strict requirements for renewable energy use in production.
Accoya wood combines this recognised sustainability with equal or better performance than non-renewable, carbon intensive materials from the techno-cycle, such as PVC and aluminium. With sustainable sourcing, long life and easy reusability or recyclability, Accoya wood is a perfect fit for the circular economy and bio-cycle ideals behind the certification.
The Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard recognises commitment to the circular economy philosophy, and authoritatively highlights the importance of products with a positive impact on the environment.
Products are reassessed every two years, and Accoya wood has now been successfully recertified until August 2021, having been Cradle to Cradle Certified™ at the Gold level since 2010.
A separate classification and certificate has also be issued in the category of Material Health. The Material Health Certificate focuses on:
Accoya wood has again had its Platinum status for Material Health reconfirmed. This is the highest level of certification possible, indicating that the product has been thoroughly tested and it contains no toxic elements that could harm human health or the environment.
Pablo Van der Lugt, Head of Sustainability for Accsys, manufacturer of Accoya wood, commented:
“We are happy that Accoya wood is again awarded the highest possible score with respect to Material Health: Platinum, and we have maintained the highest score for any structural building material: Gold, since 2010! This again proves that, with Accoya, we offer a fully non-toxic, carbon negative, biobased material to replace high performance, highly CO2 producing synthetic materials from the techno-cycle, without compromising on performance. It is for this reason that Accoya is applied in the most prestigious circular economy building projects worldwide, such as Park2020 near Schiphol and Venlo City Hall”
With over 90 years of research to prove Accoya’s reliability, this chemically modified timber boasts outstanding levels of sustainability, durability and stability. The manufacturing process of acetylation produces long-lasting, high-performance wood with excellent environmental credentials, and no need for harmful chemicals or deforestation. The high quality and aesthetics of tropical hardwoods is exceeded by Accoya’s added capacity to withstand most extreme external environments, without switching to competing non-renewable materials.
Accoya wood is available to buy around the world. For further information and to speak to a distributor please visit www.accoya.com/where-to-buy
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