New BRE Green Guide finally proves PVC is the environmentally responsible choice

The new 2008 Green Guide to Specification from the BRE Building Research Establishment) has finally recognised the sustainable benefits of PVC by awarding PVC-UE cladding and its installed components an A+ rating – the highest possible for any material.

This independent assessment endorses the PVC-U building material industry’s long running campaign that our products help specifiers achieve the highest levels under the Code for Sustainable Homes.

The guide published in June evaluates the performance of materials and building materials in all the main building elements against 13 specific environmental impacts including climate change, human toxicity, ecotoxicity, waste disposal and fossil fuel depletion. Performance is then ranked on an A+ to E scale, helping specifiers select building elements which minimise environmental impacts. As the market leader in the manufacture of PVC-UE building materials, Kestrel is delighted that the critical role our products can play in the drive for sustainability and reduced carbon emissions has finally been officially recognised.

A long term spokesperson in the fight to dispel myths about PVC-U’s environmental credentials, Kestrel has been working on future proofing our products in terms of sustainability for several years now in line with Recovinyl www.recovinyl.com and Vinyl 2010 www.vinyl2010.org. Eliminating lead content and switching 100% to calcium organic was the first step. We believe we have gone one step further and uniquely, offer the only product that has both a calcium organic core and calcium organic skin surface. All products are manufactured within an ISO9001 quality management system and during the last 5 years we have invested more than £10 million in new manufacturing technology and equipment. We are determined to maintain our market leading position through ongoing product development and research and have implemented an environmental management system which satisfies the requirements of BS EN ISO 14001:2004.

For more information on the sustainability credentials of PVC-UE click here:
Sustainability Considerations of PVC-UE building products