Use
Due to its improved properties – such as increased durability, improved thermal insulation and longer coating life as a result of increased dimensional stability – Accoya® wood provides several environmental gains during its use phase. This makes Accoya® a good option for those wanting to use sustainable building materials.
First, the durability of Accoya is Class 1 (EN 350), the highest durability class possible, has extensive quality certifications (KOMO, RAL, BBA, WDMA, etc.) and is guaranteed to last 50 years above ground and 25 years in direct soil contact. This facilitates a longer lifespan which enables lower material consumption (less replacement!) over the same period compared to most other materials. This also means that Accoya has carbon sequestration advantages as it locks CO2 for a longer time from the atmosphere. In fact, because of low emissions during production combined with the increased life span and good recyclability, Accoya window frames are even assessed to be CO2 neutral over the full life cycle, for more information see environmental assessments
Furthermore, the superior dimensional stability of Accoya means it requires less frequent coatings maintenance with the subsequent environmental benefit (and lower costs as well). Combined with the increased durability this means that the planned Service Life of Accoya (77 to 90 years, depending on exposure conditions) is superior to regular timber but also aluminium and PVC windows, as established by Heriot Watt University (see graph below; full report in downloads at bottom of page).
Finally, compared to other durable wood species, Accoya offers superior thermal insulation, which yields energy conservation advantages in applications such as window frames.
Expected Service Life
In Years
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