Mumford & Wood raises the performance bar

Mumford & Wood, the specialist manufacturer of bespoke timber windows and doors, is ticking all the boxes in meeting regulatory legislation in the Government’s quest to upgrade the performance of the country’s building stock.

With the introduction of redesigned and enhanced products in the company’s much admired Conservation range, the established leader in period-style windows, doors and garden rooms, is achieving an outstanding performance.

In both new build and retrofit, extensive building legislation and regulations are in place to ensure heat loss from commercial, industrial and domestic buildings is dramatically reduced, along with energy consumption and COâ‚‚emissions, in the essential need to improve our carbon footprint.

The new performance standards for buildings and the products and materials that are used to make them air and weather tight have never been more demanding.  Buildings are stringently tested to identify that they meet required standards while various insulation methods are calculated to drive down U-values.

Mumford & Wood manufacture windows and doors that are made in accordance with the British Woodworking Federation’s (BWF) third party Timber Windows Accreditation Scheme (TWAS).  They are classified ‘A+’ under the BRE Global 2008 Green Guide to Specification and so achieve essential materials credits for the building.  An Expected Service Life* study commissioned by the Wood Window Alliance (WWA), affiliated to the BWF, identifies that timber frames made to WWA standards have an expected service life of between 56- 65 years, in comparison with uPVC  of between 25-35 years.   

While many window and door manufacturers have been forced to develop new products and solutions that contribute to the overall performance of the external envelope, Mumford & Wood remain fully compliant and ahead of the game with product introductions and technical advances that are likely to exceed the requirements of the forthcoming Part L Building Regulations’. Although consultation suggests a U-value of 1.4 W/m²K, this will not be confirmed until May 2013 for possible implementation in 2014. The new Conservation triple glazed sliding sash, for example, offers a whole frame U-value of 1.1 W/m²K while the new and improved standard 24mm double glazed panels achieve a comfortable 1.3 W/m²K.

The low carbon agenda continues to drive performance standards still higher while sustainability targets apply to material procurement.  In housing, the Code for Sustainable Homes is set to achieve zero carbon Level 6 by 2016.  Suppliers and their respective trade associations continue to assist manufacturers in meeting these performance targets.

Timber stands as the only truly green material with the huge advantage that it can be naturally replaced.  A further study by Davis Langdon identifies that timber windows made to TWAS standards are carbon negative at -12.19kg of COâ‚‚e for each wood window compared to a staggering +76.64kg for an equivalent size uPVC window.  This equates to ¾ tonne saving of COâ‚‚e per house, that’s the equivalent to a 6,500km road journey in a small family car.

Using only engineered timber, for maximum strength and durability, windows and doors by Mumford & Wood are manufactured entirely in the UK from certified, sustainable clear-grade Siberian larch. The company’s factory controlled modern facilities in Essex use state-of-the-art flow line production with flexible machining centres that deliver cost efficient, factory finished products in small volumes.  This capacity allows the bespoke attention to detail that the company is renowned for, providing a six-star performance pedigree and meeting the challenging requirements that face the industry full on.

As a member of the BWF, and a founder member of the WWA, Mumford & Wood’s exemplary products reach the ambitious environmental targets of sustainability, service life and thermal performance without any compromise to authentic, elegant styling so loved by specifiers, architects, planners and home owners.  The brand is proud to carry the BSI Kitemark, Energy Saving Trust and Secured by Design accreditations, all supported by industry-leading warranties.

With timber windows and doors being Green Deal approved, there has never been a better time to improve the thermal performance and aesthetic appeal of a property, adding comfort and value with superb products.

The company is also a member of The Performance Window Group which encompasses leading brands that together satisfy all customer channels and routes to market.