Composite Door News

The Church of England Diocese of Winchester is to go over to recycled PVC-U windows for all future replacements in its 250 clergy houses, with Network VEKA member KJM as installer.

Diocese Houses Manager Chris Mariner said the decision was in direct response to the clergy themselves, as well as the body’s Environmental Officer, who asked for a greener alternative.

He added: “We know the benefits of PVC but they were not keen on the conventional product. As soon as we heard about the recycled frames, they had no objection at all and we were very happy to commit ourselves to the change. We have also asked for all new windows to be ‘A’ Rated so we will be saving on fuel use as well.”

The Diocese, which covers Hampshire, Bournemouth, East Dorset and the Channel Islands, is a long-standing customer of Andover-based KJM. It has a rolling programme, replacing windows in about ten properties a year, some of which are still single-glazed. Its new windows will be based on the VEKA Infinity system, which uses up to 80% recycled material locked inside a co-extruded outer layer of virgin PVC-U.

KJM and Network VEKA fabricator Glazerite recently celebrated the first recycled PVC-U windows ever to be chosen for a UK private house and Glazerite helped Luton to become the first borough in the UK to commit entirely to recycled PVC-U for all future window replacements.

VEKA plc also last secured the first-ever major contract to install the recycled product, with the Places for People Group.