Accsys Tech Regulatory News (AXS)

13 May 2009 07:00



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Accsys Technologies

Green Life Smart Life Selects Titan Wood As Project Partner

Accsys Technologies PLC (www.accsysplc.com) announces the collaboration between its wholly owned subsidiary, Titan Wood Inc. (www.titanwood.com), and Green Life Smart Life™ (www.greenlifesmartlife.com), a Rhode Island-based green building showcase home. As a partner to the project, Titan Wood will be supplying FSC certified Accoya® wood decking for the front and rear terraces. The use of Accoya® wood, an all-natural environmentally friendly building material, will contribute to the project's LEED-H (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) points in the category of Materials & Resources. Accsys Technologies and Titan Wood are committed to sustainability and determined to provide builders and homeowners with high performance products that are eco-conscious and aesthetically pleasing.

Accoya® wood is a proven "new wood species" that is made only from sustainably sourced wood. Once the wood is harvested it undergoes an acetylation process that alters its actual cell structure, dramatically improving its performance. Accoya® wood absorbs approximately 80 percent less water than conventional wood, is significantly more stable, lasts much longer and requires far less maintenance. Additionally, the acetylation process makes the wood durable against fungi and pests, which do not recognize it as a food source. 

"We are excited to be working with Titan Wood, a well-respected industry pioneer," said project leader Kimberly Hageman. "Its sustainably produced Accoya® wood meshes beautifully with our overall vision of responsible design and construction. Titan Wood is known for its outstanding commitment to sustainability and green building and we are so proud to feature Accoya® wood in our home."

Finlay Morrison, CEO of Accsys Technologies, added, "Green Life Smart Life has done a tremendous job of demonstrating that beautiful, inviting, and comfortable homes needn't be detrimental to the world around us. We are pleased to take part in this project which showcases the beauty and sustainability of Accoya® wood and will surely serve as an educational tool for many years to come."

"As of 2006, demand for decking in the United States reached $4.6 Billion and is anticipated to climb to $5.6 Billion by 2011. Titan Wood is proving successful in introducing its Accoya® wood to consumers throughout North America. Accoya® wood provides an alternative to pressure-treated woods which can be toxic, tropical hardwoods which are often harvested in a manner that is detrimental to the environment, and wood-plastic composites which are often unsightly. Accoya® wood is quickly becoming the material of choice for exterior applications and has been specified in a LEED showcase project."

-ENDS-

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Notes to Editors: 

The Green Life Smart Life project (www.greenlifesmartlife.com) was inspired by a real family that has been on the quest to live on the Rhode Island coast of the US since 2000. The family spent a year designing a green home that captures the views of Narragansett Bay and the Newport Bridge; handles the Northeast corridor's harsh weather elements; and balances the unique constraints of building green and staying on budget. By creating a powerful coalition of sponsor partners across multiple industries, Green Life Smart Life will be a homeowner showcase on residential green building resources, environmentally preferable products, energy saving strategies and smart technologies.

Accsys Technologies PLC (www.accsysplc.com) is an environmental science and technology company whose primary focus is on the production of Accoya® wood and technology licensing via its 100% owned subsidiary, Titan Wood Limited (www.titanwood.com), which has manufacturing operations in Arnhem, the Netherlands, a European office in London and an Americas office in Dallas, Texas. Accsys' operations comprise three principal business units: (i) the Accoya® wood production facility in The Netherlands; (ii) technology development, focused on a programme of continuous improvements to the process engineering and operating protocols for the acetylation of wood which are currently under development and the development of technology for the acetylation of wood fibre; and (iii) the licensing of technology for the production of Accoya® wood and Tricoya™ wood elements across the globe.

Accoya® Wood (www.accoya.info) is produced by using a patented, non-toxic process that effectively converts sustainably grown softwoods and non-durable hardwoods into what is best described as a "new wood species" via acetylation. Distinguished by its durability, dimensional stability and, perhaps most importantly of all, its reliability (in terms of consistency of both supply and quality), Accoya® wood is particularly suited to exterior applications where performance and appearance are valued. Unlike most woods, its colour does not degrade when exposed to sunlight. Moreover, the Accoya® wood production process does not compromise the wood's strength or machinability. The combination of UV resistance, dimensional stability, increased coatings life, durability and retained strength means that Accoya® wood offers a wealth of new opportunities to architects, designers and specifiers. Leading applications include external doors and windows, shutters/shading, siding and cladding, decking, outdoor furniture/equipment and glulam beams for structural use. 

Tricoya™ Wood Elements (www.tricoya.com) is Titan Wood's proprietary technology for the acetylation of wood fibres, chips, and particles for use in the fabrication of wood based composites, including panel products. These composites demonstrate enhanced durability and dimensional stability which allow them to be used in a variety of applications which were once limited to solid wood or man-made products. Tricoya™ Wood Elements is lauded as the first major innovation in the wood composites industry in more than 30 years.

Wood Acetylation is a process, which increases the amount of 'acetyl' molecules in wood, thereby changing its physical properties. The environmentally responsible process protects wood from rot by making it "inedible" to most micro-organisms and insects, without - unlike conventional treatments - making it toxic. It also greatly reduces the wood's tendency to swell and shrink, making it less prone to cracking and ensuring that when painted it requires dramatically reduced maintenance. Acetylated wood's increased durability offers major carbon sequestration advantages, compared to other woods and man-made building materials such as steel, vinyl, and plastic.

Wood Composites include a range of derivative wood products which are manufactured by binding together the strands, particles, fibres, or veneers of wood, together with adhesives, to form composite materials. These products are engineered to precise design specifications which are tested to meet national or international standards.

ACCOYA®, TRICOYA®,  the Trimarque logo and the Eden logo are registered trademarks owned by Titan Wood Limited and may not be used or reproduced without written permission.