Ian Chisholm from the GGF’s response to the BBC article ‘A plague of Plastic Windows’:
English Heritage carries out some wonderful work in protecting our historical built environment. But now and again the organisation’s rather extremist, sweeping diktats expose a very narrow point of view.
The Glass and Glazing Federation represents the whole of the UK glass and glazing industry and has no preference for any particular Fenestration material. Our stance is that what must be central in choosing new windows for any installation is that the design is appropriate to the specific property into which it is being installed, as well as adjacent properties and the surrounding area. With that established, there are some fine windows produced in PVC-U, just as there are poor windows manufactured using timber. To sweep aside any material without considering all of the options is inappropriate.
We cannot believe that having timber windows that look tatty, are poorly maintained and offer inadequate protection against the elements (and which are therefore inevitably energy inefficient), rather than well designed frames in PVC-U, performing to the highest standards of energy efficiency and comfort, makes any sense.
Whatever choice one makes, choose well designed and manufactured windows, in appropriate style for the property being installed as well as the surrounding area, in finishes that are again appropriate (for example, choose a cream coloured PVC-U window, rather than high white); and of course, from a reputable manufacturer and installer such as a GGF member.
Ian Chisholm
Glass and Glazing Federation
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