The Green Seal of Environmentally-Friendly Windows

Image: akahodag

More than ever before, the construction industry is making the choice of environmentally sustainable products and practices a must instead of a plus. Here’s how you can make your home greener in terms of materials as well as energy efficiency with Fibrex-built windows.

What’s Fibrex?

The lonely, tumbledown red barn alongside your favorite windy country road offers more than a postcard view for a quiet, picturesque afternoon. Fibrex is a key element of Green Seal certified windows. This sustainable material is comprised of more than 40 percent reclaimed wood fibers from recyclable leftover lumber that was once used in barns, homes, decks and more.

Green Seal certified windows containing Fibrex are also more energy efficient than non-Green-Seal models, meaning keeping heat and cool air inside costs a lot less. Renewal by Andersen’s windows are not only Green Seal certified, they don’t use heavy metals in the frame or sash; even their packaging contains at least 25 percent recycled material. Can you find other suppliers that don’t use recycled material? Sure. But ask yourself: will you feel comfortable with that decision?

Sounds Great! What’s the Green Seal?

Green Seal is a nonprofit that uses science to encourage consumers and companies to operate in a sustainable fashion. In existence since 1989 — long before sustainability became the standard to which all socially-conscious organizations ascribe — Green Seal identifies worthy companies and offers an independent certification to them so that they may benefit from their sustainable practices.

Thinking Globally, Acting Locally

If you or a loved one is considering building a new home or replacing the windows on an existing structure, find out if the windows the contractor plans to use will be Green Seal certified and environmentally sustainable. Not only will you rest easier knowing recyclable lumber is being repurposed for your construction project, you can also stretch your budget a bit farther because of the increased energy savings.