Green & Sustainable

One of the nice things about being earth sensitive is that you benefit too!

Sustainable Vs. Green:

Wood windows and doors, which are prevalent in luxury homes, are commonly touted as "green" products. Although wood is technically green, don't be misled - wood is only sustainable if harvested in compliance with a sustainable forest plan. On the other hand, aluminum is an abundant and sustainably harvested resource. In fact, about 8% of the earth's crust consists of aluminum bauxite. This bountiful supply exceeds global demands and because of its recyclable nature, aluminum is the material for the next century. Additionally, 94% of the world's supply of bauxite is mined in non-forested regions, minimizing global environmental impact.

Lasts Longer:

All windows and doors eventually must be replaced BUT aluminum windows and doors last decades longer than wood and vinyl. Consider the impact on the world's landfills with all the wood and vinyl waste. As well, imagine the wasted energy on redundant manufacturing of short-lived wood and vinyl windows and doors.

Inert Coatings & Finishes:

We offer two types of finishes on our aluminum windows and doors: paint and anodizing. Both processes result in environmentally safe products that do not require refinishing. Because Fleetwood products are factory finished for life, you need only keep them clean. Can you imagine how much toxic waste would be prevented if everyone chose aluminum? See the inside cover of our brochure for more information about painting and anodizing.

Avoid VOCs:

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are chemical compounds that outgas from many materials and can pollute the air in your home. Since Fleetwood's painted finishes are factory cured at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, these compounds are safely removed. Neither wood nor vinyl can provide factory baked coatings.

Friendlier To Firemen:

If a fire were to occur in your home your aluminum would not emit toxic fumes. Other window products incinerate quickly and add to the flames but only windows and doors made from metal will not burn. Also, vinyl products are petroleum based and therefore pose a great fire hazard and emit toxic fumes. In fact, some rural communities prohibit vinyl window products.

Remnants Recycled:

Window and door fabrication produces waste destined for landfills. However, as part of our waste minimization strategy, 100% of our aluminum remnants are collected and melted down to make new windows and doors. This saves energy because aluminum production from scrap uses 95% less energy and limits the waste stream.

Recycled Metal:

Every aluminum window and door is made up of components (rollers, latches, weather-stripping...) as well as extrusions and glass. The extrusions are comprised of virgin aluminum and, on average, 40% - 50% of post consumer recycled content to provide the world with products whose supply is nearly unlimited.

Sustainable Design:

Aluminum is a fantastic building product for those concerned about sustainability. It is naturally plentiful and perpetually surviving (recyclability). Moreover, aluminum rates very high in Life Cycle Assessment and leaves a small ecological footprint.

Simplified Logistics:

Because aluminum is a relatively lightweight building product, we can ship our windows and doors all over the world with little logistical waste. Even better, our windows and doors are created in such a way that far reaching markets can purchase glass locally and avoid the glass transit costs.