TimberTech's Samara Toole explains how the company's recycled-content and advanced PVC decking used at VISION House Austin supports sustainability, and how its fire and water resistance add climate resilience.
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Samara Toole: so timber tech products play a significant role right from the very beginning. So here are some of the key ways that we can contribute to that number one is the use of recycled materials. So timber tech decking is made from 60 to 85% recycled content. So that's including plastic waste that was bound for the landfill and recycled wood fibers.
00:00:26:06 - 00:00:49:09
Samara Toole: So this reduces the demand for virgin materials overall and helps divert waste from those landfills. The second is a long lifespan and the durability of our products. So our products are warranted to last up to 50 years depending on the collection. So there's not the need to replace it, which in turn minimizes resources, right? Because you don't have to replace your deck every few years.
00:00:49:11 - 00:01:15:03
Samara Toole: At the end of their useful life, our products are recyclable. So we have that recyclability built in to the full, lifespan, promoting a more circular, you know, economy. And they're very, very low maintenance. So they don't require sanding, staining, sealing, all that. Not only is that a headache for the homeowner, but it's also wasteful in terms of water and other chemicals that are used to clean the decks, too, compared to traditional wood.
00:01:15:05 - 00:01:47:03
Samara Toole: And then we our facilities also are very sustainable in the way that we manufacture products. In addition to the recycling, we also have a closed loop system. So we recycle 96% of the water in our factories. So it's really built into everything we do. Our advanced PVC decking products, which is what's on the the Austin House, are specifically designed to enhance climate resiliency, particularly with respect to fires and also floods, which might not be as big of an issue in Austin, but it's still an issue, you know, across the country.
00:01:47:06 - 00:02:11:08
Samara Toole: So here's how we address those issues. The first and most important is the fire resistance properties of the advanced PVC. So it's designed to be more fire resistant than traditional wood, putting it at advanced PVC on your home, mitigates that aggressive flame spreads. And this is something that traditional wood or even traditional composites, which are made with wood flour also can't, you know, claim the same thing.
00:02:11:10 - 00:02:36:18
Samara Toole: There's three key designations that we talk about. One is fire rating. We have a class A flame spread rating. Which means it has been tested to provide, a higher protection against fire, but the flame spreads slower, than other classes of flame spread. The second is, we compliance, which is a wild urban interface. So those are products that are designed to be used for those, those areas of the country.
00:02:36:18 - 00:02:58:07
Samara Toole: And the third is ignition resistance. Very few products have the ignition resistance designation. That's actually quite a big deal. And that means that it's, you know, it doesn't ignite basically as quickly as would flood resilience. I think the key thing there is, because that's a big issue in a lot of places, even just heavier rains and heavier, our product has superior water resistance.
00:02:58:09 - 00:03:20:29
Samara Toole: Wood doesn't fare well in water, right? It rots, it warps, it, degrades. And so our product is inherently water resistant because it's made from all this recycled plastic material. So, PVC decking doesn't absorb water. So this makes it really resistant to any of the things that would affect a wood deck. And then it's also super easy to clean.
00:03:20:29 - 00:03:43:27
Samara Toole: So in the aftermath of a storm or a flood, because the surface is really, you know, it's just much easier to clean compared to wood. The smooth surface is pretty straightforward to remove any debris and stains and things like that. So we're committed to sustainability and resiliency across all aspects of our operation. So let me give you a few examples.
00:03:43:27 - 00:04:17:23
Samara Toole: So first is sustainable raw material procurement. So we sourced recycled materials for all of our products significantly reducing the need for virgin resources. And our largest raw material input is recycled plastic. So our goal is to use 1 billion pounds of plastic waste and scrap annually, supply chain logistics. So we optimize our supply chain to minimize environmental impact also, which is, you know, reducing transportation emissions and ensuring efficient logistics from that side.
00:04:17:25 - 00:04:41:20
Samara Toole: Power generation, our facilities are designed to be energy efficient, and the majority of our, manufacturing facilities source emissions free electricity, heat. I think there's an idea of composite that's kind of your old school composite that people think of it as looking plasticky, or they think, yeah, that sounds neat, but is it really going to look good?
00:04:41:22 - 00:05:06:13
Samara Toole: We have teams of materials scientists and and product development teams. I mean, this sophistication with how this product is made with color streaking and board to board variation that looks like real wood. I mean, it's very, very sophisticated. Now, you almost can't tell that it's not wood. If you want a reclaimed, you know, barn wood look, or if you want something that mimics the look of EPA high end exotic hardwoods.
00:05:06:13 - 00:05:28:17
Samara Toole: We really have a pretty broad spectrum, and we're really looking to replace wood in those outdoor applications. So it just doesn't make sense to use wood. But the look and the esthetics are so important to people. I know that's everyone's top concern. People might be listening to this thinking, yeah, that's neat, but it doesn't really look good. I'm telling you, give it a second look, because the the innovation has really come a long way in the last, you know, 5 to 10 years.