Polymer window producer REHAU says it has efficiently built-in its Window.ID service package deal with a variety of its main companions, in an effort to assist display the fabric historical past of every window, a strong ingredient to assist allow circularity within the sector.
Shifts in the direction of eco-friendly attitudes with shoppers look like in proof in latest surveys, corresponding to NatWest’s January 2024 Greener Homes Attitude Tracker which means that 64% of house owners plan to make inexperienced house enhancements within the subsequent decade regardless of latest price range crunches.
REHAU’s Window.ID is designed to handle this instantly, says the agency, performing as a digital identification tag for its home windows, doorways and equipment. Russell Hand, Head of Technical and Product Administration at REHAU Home windows, is overseeing the mixing of the expertise throughout REHAU’s companions, which is able to permit the whole home windows provide chain to retrieve details about the window together with its constituent components and recyclability.
“The pandemic has supercharged attitudes to sustainability in all areas of modern life, of which the home is a key part,” Russell explains. “Homeowners more and more wish to know the way eco-friendly their property is, and home windows, as an inextricable and distinguished facet of most constructions, are a key a part of this.
“It is with this need for these green priorities in mind that Window.ID was conceived, which through use of an RFID tag fitted to the window will assist the traceability of polymer and other components used in our frames. This creates greater transparency of information for the fabricator and installer, which can then be passed onto eco-conscious homeowners.”
Among the many first of REHAU’s companions arrange is GRM Windows. Richard Playing, Director at GRM Home windows, mentioned: “Assigning a unique ID to each window allows us to very clearly signpost the sustainability benefits to the consumer, alongside monitor the status of installations via a digital dashboard. This allows us to continually deliver excellent customer service, while also having total control over what information is made visible.”
The sustainability of polymer continues as a speaking level for the home windows business, with fixed innovation and funding in initiatives together with REHAU’s Runcorn-based PVCR recycling facility additional enhancing the recyclability of frames utilizing the fabric. With PVC home windows now having fun with a mean lifespan of over 30 years and extra energy-efficient than wooden and aluminium on account of their thermoplastic nature, the fabric is rising in prominence as an eco-friendly choice.
Mixed with the actual fact PVC will be recycled a number of instances with out lack of efficiency, Russell believes the addition of Window.ID monitoring will additional underline polymer’s standing as a extremely sustainable window materials alternative. He concluded: “With the ability to return sources into the broader round economic system is a key goal for materials suppliers, and having fast entry to materials knowledge will vastly help on this.
“Crucially, alongside returning polymer to the recycling loop in the future, Window.ID will also be able to show consumers compatible window components and accessories. Consequently, installers and fabricators can better present homeowners with upselling opportunities, while minimising time-consuming inspection or measurement appointments for replacement work due to the easily available data it offers.”
For extra data on Window.ID, click here.
