Leading the way in window sustainability
PCW Windows prides itself on staying ahead of the curve, particularly when it comes to sustainability
PCW Commercial Windows is responding to consumer demand for sustainable products by providing a lower carbon aluminium option at no extra cost across its full range of residential and commercial windows, doors and framing systems.
Based on the Central Coast, PCW also works in the Sydney and Hunter regions on many types of construction including schools, civic buildings, institutions and architectural homes.
“We’ve forged strong relationships with many builders, big and small, and are very proud to be 100 per cent Australian owned and operated and manufacturing all our products to Australian Standards,” owner and Managing Director Leigh Spinks said.
Keeping abreast of changes within the construction industry is a high priority for Spinks and his team.
“It’s constantly changing; in particular, windows and glazing are undergoing great changes at the moment, energy provisions are tightening … more and more of our projects are double glazed and we are seeing increased demand for energy-efficient products particularly in commercial buildings,” he said.
In the past 24 months, Spinks and the PCW team have observed a noticeable shift in perceptions about windows and sustainability, noting that transparency regarding the sustainability of the products they provide is becoming a necessity.
“Many of our clients want to know exactly where their products are coming from, how they have been manufactured, what materials are used, and the environmental impact of these products,” he said.
“Where sustainability was something people asked about occasionally, it has now become part of our daily conversations with clients and a critical component of all our commercial tenders.”
This shifting focus is not surprising, given the growing recognition of the importance of embodied carbon in buildings.
In 2022, Capral Aluminium, PCW’s leading supplier of aluminium window and door systems, introduced LocAl, a lower carbon aluminium product, as the standard across their full range of residential and commercial windows, doors and framing systems, and at no additional cost to clients.
“At eight kilograms of carbon emissions per kilogram of aluminium, the LocAl® Green offer has 50 per cent lower carbon emissions than the current global average for primary aluminium,” Spinks said.
“It allows Australian window and door manufacturers like PCW to make more responsible procurement decisions when they source extruded aluminium.
“The ability to provide our clients and the architects they work with access to lower carbon aluminium without any price premium has been essential for PCW.
“It answers the questions our clients are asking and gives them access to cleaner, green aluminium for their projects.
“Access to window, door and framing systems extruded from lower carbon aluminium will ensure PCW is well-positioned to support architects and builders seeking Green Star certification on their projects.
“Green Stars’ updated rating system has set a target for all project certifications to achieve a minimum of 40 per cent reduction in up-front carbon by 2030.
“To achieve this target, it is imperative to address the use of aluminium.
“From this year onward, new projects registering for Green Star certification will be required to achieve a minimum of 10 per cent reduction, with a 20 per cent reduction required for a 5-star scheme.
“In addition to being extruded from lower carbon aluminium, the aluminium extrusions that make-up the window and door systems PCW sources from Capral are also ASI Performance and Chain of Custody Certified.
“Green Star’s Responsible Products Framework is linked to ASI Certification, which helps achieve credits under the Responsible Envelope initiative.
“This further connects the sustainability picture from embodied carbon to the broader social, economic and environmental aspects of a material’s provenance.”
Spinks said Capral was the only ASI Certified extruder in Australasia and currently the only window and door systems supplier offering ASI Certified aluminium extrusions within Australia.
This editorial was originally published in Coast Community News and can be viewed here.