Plastic window frames: an excellent choice for new construction and renovation 

In the market there is sometimes still the thought that plastic window frames are wide, flat and particularly suitable for inward turning situations, but nothing could be further from the truth! "In terms of technical properties, quality and durability, plastic window frames have long since been inferior to aluminum or wood," knows Edwin van Houten, sector manager of VKG. "And also when you look at the total operating costs, plastic window frames are an excellent choice. This is proven, for example, by the independent study TCO window frames, which was recently carried out on our initiative." In this article, he shares the most important developments in the plastic window frame field.

"The technical performance of plastic window frames today is at a very high level," Van Houten emphasizes. "For example, the combination with double, HR++ and triple glazing is possible and the usual Dutch details can be realized effortlessly. Numerous BIM data of plastic window frames are now available and the possibilities are also almost endless in terms of design, colors and structures. From wood-look joints to UV-resistant textured and wood-grain films and acrylic lacquer coatings, with water-based acrylic lacquer coatings being standard today. There is also the finish with aluminum outer shells, which allows users to benefit from the sleek look of aluminum as well as the high insulation values of plastic."

VKG Recycling System 

VKG Keurmerk ensures a high quality standard, from production to assembly and maintenance. It also offers the certainty of guarantee (including the VKG Guarantee Fund) and stimulates reuse and recycling, says Van Houten. "All our members have conformed to the VKG Recycling System, which is committed to a closed raw material chain. To make this possible, all end-of-life window frames are actively collected by us, recycled and returned to the chain at an equivalent level." Currently, plastic window frames contain an average of about 30% of recycled material and this will only increase in the future, he expects. "Of course without compromising technical performance. Our ambition is to use at least 50% of recycled content by 2030. The profile houses are well on their way to achieving this goal."

Total lifetime of 750 years

"The life cycle of a plastic window frame is about 50 to 75 years," Van Houten knows. "Old plastic window frames in turn also provide valuable raw materials for the production of new window frames, with the plastic being recycled up to 10 times. The total lifetime of the material can therefore reach up to 750 years! This makes plastic window frames a very environmentally conscious choice. In terms of environmental profile, we can hold our own with other window frame materials. In many cases we even perform better in terms of environmental impact. By continuously improving and broadening our recycling program, we aim to keep increasing our performance."

Reuse of old window frames

Most sustainable, however, is not to recycle the plastic window frames, but to reuse them one-to-one in new projects. For this too, Van Houten sees a growing market, now that detachable construction is increasingly becoming the norm and the insulation values and wind and water tightness performance of plastic window frames are of a very high level. But there are also opportunities for old plastic window frames, he knows. "For example, an interesting new construction project will start in Rotterdam at the end of this year for Woonstad, in which 44 plastic window frames from the old 1984 building will be given a new use as porch walls. We have now had a fire classification test performed by Peutz, which showed a fire rating of C while D was the standard."

Most economical choice

An important issue in the context of sustainability is also life extension, for which maintenance and service is essential. In this context, Van Houten likes to refer to the TCO report window frames, which concludes that plastic window frames are certainly the most advantageous choice over a longer period of time. "Whereas the purchase cost compared to wood, for example, differs 'only' 15%, in the maintenance phase the difference rises to as much as 80%! This, of course, has everything to do with the fact that you don't need to paint and sand plastic, but that an annual service and cleaning and a drip of oil on the hardware will suffice. When the rubbers are replaced after about 25 years and the glass is also renewed after about 30 years, an extremely long life of the plastic window frames is guaranteed. This too produces nice scores on the R ladder of sustainability."