Extruded PVC Cladding and Window Frames

A particularly popular low-cost choice (more than 50% of the market) of cladding for exterior fagade of residential units in the United States is rigid PVC siding. 

The use of extruded rigid PVC windows and doorframes is common in residential building practice in the United States. An estimated 3MMT of PVC (or about 8% of the production) is used in window- and door-frame applications (S tichnothe and Azapagic, 2013). Comparisons of the performance of PVC windows to aluminum or wood widows taking (Asif et al., 2005 Citherlet et al., 2000) recycling 

TABLE 5.6 A Comparison of Leading Materials Used in Window Frames 

Frame Embodied energy (MJ/kg) Carbon emissions kgeq COj/kg Thermal conductivity (W/(mK) Mean estimated lifetime (years) 

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