Label Sustainable Joinery in addition to the FAC seal of approval

In construction, great importance is placed on sustainability and circularity. This also applies to windows,
doors and facade systems in any material. Of course, one must not lose sight of the quality of the building element. The "Sustainable Joinery" label from BCCA (Belgian Construction Certification Association) takes environmental and social aspects into account in addition to quality. The Federation of Aluminum Constructors (FAC) cooperates with BCCA and wants to prepare its members for the future, also in terms of sustainability, through training and information sessions.

Future proof

For some time now, the energy performance of the building itself has been a decisive aspect in construction. Today, the reduction of the environmental impact during the production process and transport to and processing on the building site has been added. New European regulations in this area are on the table. "We want to prepare our fabricators for this as well. After all, our mission is to support aluminum joinery and facade construction companies in Belgium so that they can deliver high-quality work. The mandatory FAC seal of approval indicates the high quality of the work delivered. We also organize, among other things, training courses, theme evenings and company visits," says Andy Coninx of FAC. "We have been working with BCCA for the FAC hallmark for several years. Among other things, they are responsible for the certification and technical approval of products and processes. Recently we also started working with them on sustainability. They developed the label 'Sustainable Joinery', the first certificate that in addition to quality also takes into account the environmental impact and social responsibility in product and process."

Quality, environmental and social aspects in one

Certification in "Sustainable Joinery" takes into account the entire life cycle of the joinery, in other words the raw material, production at the manufacturer, its suppliers, the use of the final product and its recycling or reuse. A points system and clearly defined criteria are used. "With this, we want to guarantee greater transparency in terms of sustainability and give manufacturers the opportunity to distinguish themselves from the competition. Hence the cooperation with FAC. For us, sustainability relates to the lifespan of products, i.e. durability, as well as the sustainability aspect, which takes into account elements such as quality, energy, waste, digitalization, sustainable purchasing and water management," explains Gerjan Heylen, sector manager for exterior joinery at BCCA. "Many certificates already existed, but they were mostly focused on one specific material, whereas this new label covers both wood, aluminum, PVC or steel. Through annual inspections, we are going to valorize the manufacturers and their product in terms of sustainability. At the request of the sector, the label has three levels: bronze as a basis with an achievable entry level, silver to stand out and gold for the pioneers within the sector."

Training and audits

FAC members are already subjected to quality controls, but so now they have the opportunity, without obligation, to obtain this new label "Sustainable Joinery. "Many of our members are already making efforts in the field of sustainability and so we want to allow them to formally distinguish themselves. Others we want to encourage to take further steps. After all, whoever steps in must be ready for future local and European regulations," Andy concludes. "With this in mind, the idea of a 'Sustainability Management' course was launched. Moreover, together with BCCA, we will organize training courses to prepare structural engineers for this label. On September 10, the theme night 'Sustainability in joinery. The future?" is scheduled to inform members and partners about future regulations and the content of the label "Sustainable Joinery. Later, training will follow at participating system houses and FAC itself. So our structural engineers will be ready to apply for a classification audit on sustainability in addition to the existing quality audit."

The process toward the Sustainable Joinery label starts with training. In addition to the quality audit, companies will also receive a classification audit.