1

Case studies: LCAs of Tillieux’s wooden passive windows, a step to local wood sourcing.

Tillieux Menuiserie produces windows and doors for construction and refurbishment with high energy efficiency. For

new buildings they produce the certified passive windows System Optiwin; and for the refurbishing they propose the

Reawin wood Window with or without TIPTEP system.

Description of

the company

LCA screening of various type of high

insulation performance windows made of

aluminum and wood (with different origins and

wood treatment) to understand and reduce the

environmental impact of the window.

Short

description of

the project

Key

Objectives of

the Project

The goal of the project is to have the lowest

impact on the environment considering the

supplies (short-circuit = less transport); and

the natural resources, choosing wood

instead of aluminum for example. In that

case, it is important to find the best wood

and the best treatment, so that it as resistant

in time as the aluminum. Therefore, the

study focused on the several wood

treatments like the Accoya system.

Timeline

Life cycle assessment and ecodesign

LC Approach

used in the

Project

Sector September 2015

–

April 2016

The motivation is first based on ecological

conviction and respect of natural resources, but

also an opportunity to develop short-circuit

regarding the use of wood.

Motivation

Factors

• LCiP partner: Aubin ROY– plateforme

[avniR] (France);

• Life Cycle Champion : Marie DARUL (Cd2e);

• Company: Viviane and Roch Tillieux –

Tillieux menuiserie

Project team

2

Currently, the LCA study for improvements of the joineries produced positive results: The search for better suites

Joinery profiles, the choice of wood, and treatment for a significantly better environmental outcome. As part of this

extensive study, the company could benefit from the sharing of expertise and resources from partnership (e.g. Nord

Picardie Bois to grant the research of wood treatment by acetylation) and consolidated relationship with new joinery

products suppliers. Employees are aware of the issues and sometimes suggested solutions or potential

improvements.

Case studies: LCAs of Tillieux’s wooden passive windows, a step to local wood sourcing.

The approach to life-cycle assessment was an initiative of management only. Roch and Vivianne were aware of the

impact of the Wood / Aluminum production, but they blocked by their partnership with Optiwin brand. At the

beginning of the project, the staff had no objection but was little involved. One person of the team, supported by

CD2E began the LCA, and afterwards start looking for improvements. If the project had to be done again, it would

have been with a better running, as the LCA thinking is better known today within the staff.

Implementation

challenges /

lessons learnt

Expected

Impact

Results of the

project

The project consists of updating the Life Cycle Analysis already done of the Passive Window (AluWood). Indeed, the

results were not conclusive regarding the use of the aluminum rollover and the choice of the suppliers of aluminum

and wood. With the organisation Nord Picardie Bois, a study has been carried out to use regional wood and

treatment for the rollovers (which is unusable without treatment for a good weather-resistance). Solutions have been

implemented and tested in Life Cycle Analysis for a significant improvement of the initial results.

Description of

the Project

Environmental impact

Impacts mainly on glass, metallic parts, wooden parts and its treatment. This optimized window (local sourcing, less

harmful wood treatment…) needs to be compared to standard ones to highlight the impact reduction. Also as the

window is totally dismountable there is a potential in recyclability.

Economic Impact

Apart moderate increase in the sales, the economic impact is not direct: the use of wood with acetyl treatment for

example and adequate glues, allow the customers to greatly reduce the maintenance of joinery and therefore make

good savings.

Social Impact

The more efficient methods for finishing joinery and manufacturing makes an healthier working environment for the

employees.

3

Case studies: LCAs of Tillieux’s wooden passive windows, a step to local wood sourcing.

Description of

maturity in LC

approaches

before the

project

The approach was only focused on one

product: the passive window Alu2Wood.

The LC thinking has already been

adopted by the Cluster Optiwin for the

manufacturing of Alu2Wood: the Cluster

have factories in several countries to

allow local sourcing. The first step was

the achievement of the LCA of the

Alu2Wood window (with Cd2E). The first

analysis was done by only one person in

the company (intermittently).

Description of

maturity in LC

approaches

after the

project

Maturity and Strategy

The Life cycle approach has been

integrated to the other products: launch a

reflexion ot window made completely

out of wood with specific rollover to be as

resistant as aluminum. The research we

have conducted begins to be applied to

more products. The second step of our

action is to improve the results of the

Alu2Wood LCA and to apply this to other

products like the Reawin Windows. The

researches to improve the products was

realized by 1 person with the help the

regional wood Center of Excellence

(CNDB).

4

Case studies: LCAs of Tillieux’s wooden passive windows, a step to local wood sourcing.

The project received great interest in the wood sector, of course. Despite the strong desire to favour local wood, it is

still difficult to be provided regarding specific needs (e.g. plaice pine for thermal matters) and the regional timber

industry is far from complete (Lack of pinewood, assemblers....). We are beginning to respond to markets including

the use of local woods but these are still too few.

From the environmental point of view, our choice of acetyl treated wood is real progress: greater longevity of the

product, better handling of stains or paint finishes in time ; reduction of end of life waste and waste very little pollutant

From an economic point of view, in addition to increasing your sales in the area, the impact is also positive for the

customer: the maintenance of its joinery is divided by 5, the longevity of the product installed is doubled. The return

on investment for the customer is faster.

From the social point of view, the impact results also in our attractiveness vis-à-vis young trainee joining us,

convinced by our approach.

Evaluation of

the project

Economic

feasibility:

expected ROI

and payback

periods

The economic impact is hard to monitor at this stage, but with the production of an EPD there is a lot of potential in

several markets (new buildings under labelling...)

Pour le consortium LCiP : Aubin ROY

(a.roy@cd2e.com)

Life Cycle Champion : Marie DARUL

(m.Darul@cd2e.com)

Company: VivianeTillieux

(viviane.tillieux@orange.fr)

Website of the project: http://www.lifelcip.eu/

www.lifelcip.eu

Planned follow

up activitiesThe aim of our thinking is to be able to produce

whole wooden window with local wood (short

circuit). the results of our researches and the

lobbying to create a real regional wood industry

could confirm good progress. the aim is to be

able to apply the LC thinking to all our

production. Being present on several fairs

where we present our products, we want to

make our clients aware of the importance of

the Life Cycle thought. The top would be that

before any new production, our employees and

ourselves could take the time to think about the

impact of the LC of this production.

Links and

contacts for

further

information

This project has been funded with support from the LIFE+ Programme of the EU. The views expressed here

are purely the authors’ own and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made

of the information contained herein.

Icons made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com