Mumford & Wood, the specialist manufacturer of fine timber windows and doors in traditional and contemporary designs, offers many products that are Secured by Design accredited. This is the UK police flagship initiative which aims to design-out crime. These products must now pass stringent new testing criteria before they can carry the SBD badge of approval.
Recent design enhancements to products in the period-style Conservation range include internal glazing which improves aesthetics and, most importantly, security. Glazing from the room side increases the difficulty to gain access to a building creating a welcome deterrent for intruders.
Internal glazing has now passed the enhanced security test for PAS24:2012 allowing our Conservation and Contemporary French doorsets, single entrance doors and flush casements to join our growing range of SBD certificated products, says Owen Dare, Technical Director, Mumford & Wood.
Timber windows manufactured to the stringent criteria of the British Woodworking Federations Timber Window Accreditation Scheme are classified A+ in accordance with the BRE Global 2008 Green Guide to Specification. Mumford & Woods award winning products, which carry a BSI Window Energy Rating of A, will not only confidently meet the enhanced security and thermal performance requirements of the anticipated new Part L Building Regulations, to be implemented early in 2014, but also contribute towards the essential materials credits of a buildings overall environmental impact.
Although Conservation box sash and spring balance sash windows do not currently meet SBD criteria they are well on the way to gaining this recognition as glazing to these products already meets PAS24:2012 requirements. Effectively this means that these products are part way to the full SBD specification, continues Dare. We are constantly reviewing the performance of our products for thermal efficiency, acoustic control and security which is essential if our products are to meet and surpass legislation and stay ahead of the market.
The BS7950 and PAS23 manufacturing and test standards are no longer valid in the UK and have been replaced with PAS24:2012 for doorsets and windows. BSI Kitemark will not support certification for any product which has not been upgraded to the new test procedure, says Dare. All manufacturers have until December 2013 to extend their licence when the BSI will carry out the new certification.
High performance, beautifully proportioned fenestration systems in the Conservation and Contemporary ranges, which include single, double and triple glazed options, have been designed and manufactured in England from engineered timber for almost 60 years.