Mill Eco-Office Refurbishment

Developer makes maintenance savings with Ecoclad System windows

Green Building Store's Ecoclad window system has been specified by developer Royds Properties for the refurbishment of an 18 th -century mill building in West Yorkshire for office use. The refurbishment, part of Green Building Store's rented office and manufacturing complex in Heath House Mill, near Huddersfield, required the manufacture and installation of 21 separate window sections.

The Ecoclad System range of windows and doors has only recently been introduced by Green Building Store as the first range of FSC-certified timber/ alu-clad windows available in the UK. Designed to provide an environmentally responsible solution to low maintenance window specification, the Ecoclad range is particularly suited to larger commercial and public sector buildings where ongoing maintenance can be problematic. Timber used for the windows is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified, providing an independent verification that all timber used is sustainably sourced. At the same time aluminium cladding ensures that minimal maintenance is needed and protects the windows from weather damage. The Ecoclad range also offers excellent levels of thermal efficiency, with argon-filled double or triple glazed units that offer whole window U values of between 1.6 W/m 2 K and 1.1 W/m 2 K, far in excess of current building regulations.

Ecoclad was chosen by Royds Properties to help create a new eco-office for Green Building Store, which was moving from smaller premises to larger rented accommodation at Royd Properties' Heath House Mill. Green Building Store's desire for an energy-efficient and sustainable office had to be balanced with the developer's need for a competitively priced refurbishment. As well as installing the Ecoclad windows, Royds Properties accommodated a number of other environmental features including: natural paints and timber finishes; sheep's wool insulation in loft space; water-saving WCs, taps and shower fittings; reclaimed timber fittings and furniture; and linoleum flooring.

Max Royds, director of Royds Properties, has been delighted with the Ecoclad System windows, “It was a situation where almost every window was unique – Ecoclad produced new frames for each one. The outside face is aluminium clad, which is excellent for its exposed hillside location, but they're timber on the inside. They look infinitely better than plastic windows, but still benefit from a similar low-maintenance regime.” Max Royds has been so pleased with the look of the Ecoclad windows, their performance and their price in comparison with less sustainable products on the market that he is planning to install them in future developments.

Supplier: Green Building Store, Tel: 01484 461705, www.greenbuildingstore.co.uk

Client: Royds Properties, Tel: 01484 684534, Fax: 01484 683817