What is uPVC?
What is uPVC and why is it a great choice?
uPVC, or Unplasticized Polyvinyl Chloride, is a high-quality, modern material widely used in construction for its strength, durability, and low maintenance requirements. It is especially popular for windows and doors due to its ability to withstand harsh weather conditions, resist water and corrosion, and retain its appearance over time.
Lightweight yet strong, uPVC is designed to offer long-lasting performance without the need for constant upkeep, making it a practical and reliable choice for homes and buildings. Its clean, modern look and exceptional durability make it an excellent solution for today’s construction needs.
How uPVC Windows and Doors are made? – And why they’re the perfect choice
uPVC windows and doors are crafted using advanced manufacturing techniques to create durable, modern, and energy-efficient solutions for your home. The process involves precision cutting, welding, and reinforcing with steel to ensure strength and reliability. Unlike timber or aluminum options, uPVC uses fusion-welded joints for a seamless finish that prevents air and water leaks.
The multi-chambered profiles are designed to provide excellent thermal and acoustic insulation, supporting double or triple glazing for added comfort and energy efficiency. uPVC is also fire-resistant, corrosion-free, and built to withstand UV rays, so it won’t fade, warp, or become brittle over time.
At Integra Windows, we use 100% lead-free, environmentally friendly uPVC profiles, making them not only a durable and low-maintenance choice but also a sustainable one for your living space.
Interesting facts about uPVC
uPVC is the best and most suitable window or door material and its importance is constantly growing all over the world. It is not only used for construction, but also for everyday commodities such as clothes, car parts, drink bottles and medical applications.
The unparalleled material uPVC offers a whole range of outstanding product properties to create a window or door that remains unbeaten by any other raw material. Purchase costs of uPVC are far more economical than a comparable product made of wood or aluminium. There are great many of aspects that play a significant role when choosing new window or door. For this reason, we would like to present you some interesting facts about uPVC windows that will help you with your decision making:
1. ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF uPVC
- use of lead-free uPVC raw material
- easy to recycle
- energy saving (in both production and thermal insulation)
2. QUALITY OF uPVC
- uPVC is completely harmless to humans
- excellent sound insulation, especially in the growing urban regions
- perfect thermal insulation
- durability and resistance (fire resistance, UV stability, wind resistance)
- the value of your home can be increased by integration of uPVC windows and doors
- very durable (uPVC have a life cycle of 30 years or more)
3. PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF uPVC
- resistant to dirt and environmental conditions
- can be easily cleaned by using a mild detergent or simply soapy water
- resistant against termites and will never rot, rust or corrode
- cannot be deformed by moisture and temperature differences
- prevent development of mould and bacteria
- efficient for many years (without constant effort of conservation by painting or maintenance)
- excellent burglary resistance
4. VARIETY OF DESIGNS
- appealing visual appearance with various types
- different shapes, e. g. semi-circular windows
- available in countless colour variations, laminated outside or on both sides
- suited for both new buildings and renovation of old buildings
- customised for individual requirements
How is the uPVC window & door constructed?
The detailed section of single components of a uPVC window & door
WINDOW FRAME
holds the window sash and serves to fasten the window to the building structure.
GASKETS
co-extruded gaskets ensure improved heat and sound insulation.
WINDOW SASH
is the movable element which allows you to open and close the window.
STEEL REINFORCEMENTS
are integrated into the window frame and sash to ensure maximum load bearing capacity.
GLAZING BEADS
are inserted into the window sash and serve to fix the glass pane.
GLAZING
protects you from external influences while still allowing the view to outside.
Features and benefits of our structurally reinforced uPVC windows and doors
Energy efficiency
living comfort and environmental protectionInnovative, high-quality uPVC windows cut energy losses to a minimum. While just 8% of a building’s outer shell is made up of windows, they are the source of almost 40% of heat losses. The thermal efficiency of uPVC double-glazed windows is measured through U-Value (Uw) and SHGC.
U-Value measures the rate at which non-solar heat is lost or gained through the window unit. The lower the U-value, the greater a window’s resistance to heat flow and its ability to insulate better. Many Australian homes still have single-glazed windows with U-Values of 5 or 6. In contrast, our double-glazed products have U-Values ranging from 1 to 2.6, making a substantial difference in thermal efficiency, leading to a more comfortable home and reduced energy costs.
Solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) measures how readily heat from direct sunlight flows through a window system. SHGC is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The lower a window’s SHGC, the less solar heat it transmits. For a climate like Sydney (hot & humid), lower SHGC is preferred. For climates like that in Canberra (colder climates), comparatively higher SHGC is preferred. Integra Windows offers uPVC products with a SHGC value of 0.11 to 0.64. You can find all our systems’ U-Value and SHGC data here.
Tropical compound
for regions with high UV radiationAustralia has the highest solar radiation per square metre of land of any continent. Therefore, it is important that products used in Australian buildings are formulated and designed for our country’s climate. Integra Windows profile supplier Aluplast has almost 25 years of experience in providing tropical uPVC formulations to regions with very high levels of UV radiation and has proven success in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Australia.
- Special uPVC compound called Tropical Mix.
- Tested and certified by the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA).
- Accredited by the Industry Code of Practice (ICP) in Australia.
- The latest extrusions and colour range were tested at Allunga, Townsville, Australia (more than 310 days of sunshine every year and has one of the highest rates of UV exposure in Australia)
- Our window and door profiles are rigorously tested and certified for durability, strength, and colour longevity to meet Australian conditions.
- Proven to withstand UV light, wind load, and humidity.
- Our eco-friendly windows and doors come with long-lasting calcium-zinc stabilizers.
BAL 40 - what it is and how Integra meets these requirements
BAL-40 stands for “Bushfire Attack Level 40.” It’s a rating used in Australian building codes to measure a building’s potential exposure to ember attack, radiant heat, and direct flame contact during a bushfire.
BAL ratings range from BAL-Low to BAL-FZ (Flame Zone), with BAL-40 being one of the higher levels. A BAL-40 rating indicates that the area is subject to very high levels of ember attack and radiant heat, making it necessary for buildings to have specific design and construction features to withstand such conditions.
Amongst other design requirements for the construction that confirms to BAL 40, there are specific requirements for the external windows & doors and their glazing.
Upon receiving an inquiry for a project that needs BAL-40 rating, our experienced team discusses the particular upgrades that we need to do for the profile system, double-glazing specifications, glazing packers and flyscreens.
- Profile System shall be IDEAL 4000 or Smart Slide
(both these Aluplast systems are tested to BAL 40) - Glazing shall be a minimum of 6mm toughened glass
- Flyscreen net shall be Stainless Steel
- Glazing Packers are changed to a different variety
- Any other specific details are discussed separately as per project / legislation requirements
Sound insulation
for a better quality of lifedB (decibel) is commonly used in acoustics to quantify sound levels perceived by the human ear.
Noise has an immense impact on our quality of life. The results are sleep loss and continuous stress that can cause permanent damage to our health. uPVC windows are an effective protection from noise and create a permanently pleasant atmosphere.
| uPVC Window | ~ 35 dB | Ideal 4000 |
| Standard Window | ~ 48 dB | double glazed |
| Old Window | ~ 60 dB | single glazed |
| Open Window | ~ 80 dB | heavy traffic |
Noise reduction feel the silence & the comfort
INFLUENCING FACTORS
- Frame
- Glazing
- Glass Packers
- Installation
NOISE PROTECTION
Being exposed to permanent, or even only to a short-term but intensive, noise, can lead to a harmful impact on human health. Thus, noise protection is an imperative. We can provide you with the best possible protection against unwanted negative noise effects.
PLEASE NOTE: Reduction of 10 dB (decibel) will reduce noise by 50%
Health Impacts
Advantage of Double-glazed windows
What makes Double Glazing so different to single glazing apart from the obvious appearance?
Double glazed windows have two panes of glass (hence the term double glazing) – separated by a layer of trapped argon gas. Even if space in between the layers of glass was just air, it would alter the heat conductivity of the window, but argon gas has 67% the thermal conductivity of air, therefore ensuring maximum thermal efficiency. Similar to putting on a jumper in the winter to keep you warm, trapping that layer of air/gas keeps the heat in, or the cold out. This is how double-glazed windows work to keep homes cooler in summer, and warmer during the harsh winter
Double Glazing – The Geeky Bit
The transfer of heat through a window is measured using a “U-Value”. The lower the U-Value, the lower the rate of heat transfer. This works both ways, for keeping the heat in, and more importantly in Sydney, keeping heat out.
Typically, a single glazed window (that more than 85% of us have in our homes) has a U-Value of 5 or 6. Whereas double glazed windows have U-Values in a range between 1.5 – 2.5 which is a huge difference. Not forgetting that the lower the U value the better the thermal efficiency.
Additionally, uPVC, the material that is used for the window frames themselves, is a low conductor. Allowing for tighter seals and versatile designs, this is an innovative material that is changing the efficiency of window installation.
Why Choose uPVC over Timber or Aluminium
Description | Timber | Aluminium | uPVC |
High Impact Resistance | – | – | |
Unaffected by Temperature | – | – | |
Corrosion Resistance | – | ||
Ageing Resistance | – | – | |
Sea Water Resistance | – | – | |
Protective painting or polishing required | – | ||
High Thermal Insulation | – | ||
High Acoustic Insulation | – | – | |
Low or No Maintenance | – | – | |
Can be used in most varied climatic conditions, especially in places with Tropical Climate | – | – | |
Water & Air Tight | – | – |
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