What makes a building product green? We need to first look at the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).  LCA is the science of examining a product’s entire life, including raw material extraction, manufacturing, production, use/reuse/maintenance, and waste management. The Life Cycle Assessment shows that two important environmental features of products are renewability and durability. Renewable materials and energy sources are green by nature. Durable materials last longer and require less upkeep. Vinyl performs well in this Life Cycle Assessment analysis and ranks as one of the most environmentally friendly exterior cladding options today.

So, let’s look at nine things that make vinyl siding green:

1) Reduces the Strain on Our Natural Resources

The use of vinyl reduces the strain on scarce natural resources such as cedar and other wood used to make alternative exterior claddings. More than half of vinyl is made from salt, which is a renewable resource.

2) No Cleaners or Painting Required

Vinyl siding does not require painting or toxic chemicals to maintain its "just installed" appearance (unlike wood and fibre cement), eliminating the environmental impact associated with some paints and cleaning products. Cleaning and maintenance of vinyl siding only requires water, mild detergent and a soft cloth or soft bristled brush

3) Out-performs Other Exterior Cladding Products in Environmental and Economic Sustainability

Vinyl siding out-performs the majority of other exterior cladding products, including brick, in almost all of the scientific performance criteria used in recent analysis conducted using Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability (BEES) software.

4) No Additional Finish Resources Required

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Model Green Home Building Guidelines award four points in Section 2.1.5 for using building materials that require no additional finish resources to complete application on site. Builders who use vinyl siding are eligible for these points

5) Non-toxic

Vinyl siding is safe to cut, handle and install, unlike fibre cement, which can cause fatal lung disease if the silica dust is inhaled by installers. Cutting fibre-cement board without the appropriate controls can expose workers to harmful levels of crystalline silica dust. Breathing in this fine dust can cause a serious and irreversible lung disease called silicosis.

6) Insulated Siding Qualifies for ENERGY STAR Qualified Homes Program

Due to its ability to reduce thermal bridging, insulated siding has been added to ENERGY STAR® Qualified Homes Version 3.0. Builders who want to earn the ENERGY STAR label can use insulated siding to comply with Section 4.3 (thermal bridge reducer). In order for insulated siding to qualify under the ENERGY STAR Qualified Homes program, the insulated siding must exhibit a minimum R-value of 3.0 (Climate Zones 1 to 4) to 5.0 (Climate Zones 5 to 8) by itself or used in combination with insulated sheathing. Mittens’ Premium Insulated Siding line, Insulplank II is now available in 20 popular colors! The insulation added to insulated siding panels not only increases the R-value of your home but also provides added rigidity to the panels construction for maximum durability.

7) Minimal Waste

The ability to regrind scrap and off-spec materials results in virtually no manufacturing waste.

8) Lasts a Lifetime

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reports that the life expectancy of vinyl siding is a lifetime, therefore it does not need to be replaced, reducing the use of new materials. Additionally, vinyl siding is not readily available for post-consumer recycling, as it stays on the house.

9) Affordability

In today’s marketplace, eco-friendly products are usually offered at a premium price, which potentially limits the positive impact they will make. Compared to other exterior cladding products, vinyl’s affordability means that more consumers will be able to use it rather than other less-green materials. Also, homeowners should know that vinyl and other polymeric siding add value to their homes. One advantage of vinyl siding is low total installed cost - lower than all other cladding because vinyl siding goes up faster and does not require painting.

At Mitten, we are constantly striving to ensure our products, processes and practises are green. Here are some examples of how Mitten operates with the environment in mind.

1. We regrind and reuse all in-plant scraps (trimmings, shavings & color changes).

2. Our vinyl siding lasts a lifetime, there is no waste on disposing of old materials.

3. Our vinyl siding never needs to be painted or stained with toxic chemicals.

4. We do not use lead in our siding, soffit or accessories.

5. Vinyl siding uses modest amounts of energy in the manufacturing process.

6. We’ve implemented a water recycling system in our production processes.

7. We have installed high efficiency programmable lighting systems.

8. We also have an environmentally friendly, programmable heating system.

9. Our Distribution Center’s indoor flatbed loading access includes an environmental containment system to safely capture fluids and wastes from trucks.

10. We have company-wide recycling programs.

11. We even do best practices training to reduce paper usage!

When you choose Mitten vinyl siding you can be assured that you have chosen a building material that is durable, renewable, and safe for the environment.