Wood windows are better for the environment than PVC windows, a recent WWF report has concluded. The report looking into the environmental and economic benefits of specifying timber window frames found PVC windows to be less sustainable and more hazardous than wooden ones of similar size and design.

WWF is encouraging specifiers and buyers of windows to choose wood which has been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). This guarantees the wood has been sourced from a well-managed forest or other controlled wood source, and ensures that the timber is legal and not from a controversial source.

In comparison, PVC is made from a non-renewable source - oil - which makes up to 43 per cent of the raw material required to make PVC. PVC windows also generate more waste and use eight times more energy to manufacture than timber windows. The report also states that hazardous chemicals are released into the environment during one of the methods of PVC disposal - incineration.

The report shows that throughout the use and disposal of the product, the overall environmental impact is significantly less for timber windows than for PVC windows.

Christian Thompson, forests officer, at WWF said: "WWF believes that timber is a genuinely renewable resource if managed responsibly which is why we urge specifiers and buyers to choose FSC-certified wood."

"This report clearly shows that PVC windows are far from environmentally friendly and I hope it will go some way to dispelling the myth that they are a green choice."

The most common misunderstanding is that "ALL windows use hardwood and destroy forests in South America or the Far East". In fact 97% of softwood and 63% of hardwood used in the UK is of European origin. A very small percentage of wood used in this country is from the Far-East and Central / South America (1.7%)

Over 90% of the wood used in UK construction is from softwood grown in Europe. European forests are not only protected, but are well managed - caring for the local environment in the forest and by replacing more trees than are being cut. There is now more than twice as much wood in the forests as there was 100 years ago, and every year, Europe's forests are increasing by an area about the size of Cyprus - that's almost 100 football pitches per hour.

Good managed forestry also helps to counter the "greenhouse effect", since growing trees absorbs carbon dioxide and emit oxygen. They act as a carbon sink.

Managed felling and replanting increases this effect, since young, growing trees absorb more CO2 trees than older, mature trees and 1m3 growth absorbs 1000kg CO2 and gives off 727kg O2.

When timber is converted into different timber products it gives off no toxins nor does it give off harmful emissions.

Unlike steel, cement, bricks or plastic windows, wood requires less energy to convert it into usable form. By using timber windows instead of PVC-U the world will SAVE around 0.5 tonnes of CO2 for every 10 windows and up to 4 tonnes if used instead of aluminium.

Timber is more environmentally friendly than aluminium or plastic because it a naturally renewable material, therefore sustainable.  Wood absorbs CO2 rather than increasing emissions. Wood can help in the fight against climate change.

Wood is healthy, has attractive grain patterns and warm surfaces, and people just like to touch it. Timber is a perfect material for windows and has benefits of extremely good acoustic, insulation properties, can be redecorated, repaired and re-used or recycled.

hardy & son joinery , 7 balmoral trading estate, stuart road, bredbury. sk6 2sr

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