Long dry Mediterranean summers and mild wet winters have proven to be no hurdle for Accoya wood.
The world’s leading modified wood, which is produced by Accsys Technologies, has recently been selected for several construction projects throughout Greece.
A total of 92 Accoya windows have been installed at one residence on the Greek Island of Paros, whilst on the mainland, high performance windows and doors have been installed at a beautiful and idyllic church.
Given the long and intense heat experienced during Greek summers with temperatures above 40oC it is common for wood materials to degrade rapidly due to the harmful effect of the sun’s ultraviolet rays. The temperature during the day can be extremely hot and the evening can be much cooler. However these issues are not problem with Accoya wood as it can handle the intense sun and rapid variation in temperature that can cause many wood species to shrink and swell, making windows and doors liable to cracking and sticking and causing issues with the coatings. Therefore Accoya can be used successfully in hot, sunny climates and outperform other timber species.
Manufactured using Accsys Technologies’ proprietary acetylation process, Accoya is one of the most advanced modified wood products on the market delivering outstanding levels of performance, stability and Class 1 durability. Matching or exceeding the performance attributes of tropical hardwoods, it also boasts excellent environmental credentials by using wood sourced from FSC certified and sustainable forests as well as being Cradle to Cradle Gold certified and carbon negative.
Accoya’s high levels of durability and sustainability also saw it selected for a private residence on mainland Greece. The owners installed a stunning decking project made from Accoya to complement their swimming pool. This type of project would ordinarily present various challenges for wood materials, due to the risk of moisture penetration and the intense summer heat. Such applications demand a durable material that is resistant to UV degradation, rot and decay, and not liable to be attacked by insects. Accoya matched the project specification completely.
Bryan Crennell, director of sales and marketing at Accsys Technologies said: “Accoya is increasingly the material of choice in warm, dry and UV intense climate as well as in areas exposed to extreme moisture. Accoya offers architects and builders a new wood solution which combats the challenges of external applications. What’s more, Accoya is a naturally beautiful wood, able to blend perfectly into its surroundings for now and the future.
“We regularly test Accoya and all our independent product research continues to show that Accoya is raising standards of sustainability, reliability and performance for timber windows, doors, decking and cladding to new levels. Most recently, independent testing has proven that Accoya is resistant to excessive thermal gain in direct sunlight, making it barefoot friendly and the ideal material for outdoor decking."
