Updated LCA Report Proves Vinyl Siding Is Still One of the Most
Environmentally-Friendly Siding Products
A recent life cycle assessment (LCA) released by the Vinyl Siding Institute (VSI) confirms that vinyl still ranks as one of the most environmentally friendly exterior claddings.
The full LCA report (found here), extensively covers the impact that siding products have on the environment, including global warming potential, criteria air pollutants, ecological toxicity and so much more. The siding products included in the report are fiber cement, brick, stucco, EIFS, cedar siding, insulated vinyl siding and vinyl siding.
If you’re like us, you need data to back up the claim that vinyl is still one of the most environmentally friendly siding products available. Since you probably don’t have time to read through the full report, below are some of the key points from the LCA that combat some misconceptions about vinyl.
MANUFACTURING ENERGY
As illustrated in Figure 1.4 below, approximately five times more energy is required to?manufacture brick and mortar than vinyl siding or insulated siding. The manufacture of?fiber cement siding requires almost twice as much energy than the manufacture of vinyl?siding and nearly one and a half times more energy than insulated siding.
ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE
Vinyl siding has excellent environmental performance when compared to other exterior
cladding options. The chart in Figure 1.1 was produced using BEES software and shows
overall environmental impact by life cycle stage.
Brick has nearly five times the environmental impact of vinyl siding and nearly four times the impact of insulated siding. Fiber cement has nearly three times the environmental impact of vinyl siding and more than double the environmental impact of insulated siding.
ECOLOGICAL TOXICITY
Ecological toxicity measures the potential of a chemical released into the environment?to harm terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Compared to many other siding options, vinyl siding is responsible for the emission of significantly lower levels of toxic chemicals, including mercury and silver, into the environment. This is clearly illustrated in Figure 1.7. Vinyl siding and insulated siding have very low ecological toxicity impacts. Fiber cement has approximately 10 times the ecological toxicity impact of vinyl siding and insulated siding while brick has more than five times the ecological toxicity.
For more information, visit the website of the Vinyl Siding Institute here>
