Custom PVC sliding windows will undergo several concrete changes starting in 2026. With the extension of RE2020 to the tertiary sector, the emergence of new traceability tools, and technical developments in installation, the landscape is no longer quite the same as it was in 2024. Here’s what is really changing and what it implies for a renovation or construction project.
Digital passport and traceability of PVC windows: a new game changer
Have you ever tried to find the technical sheet of a joinery installed ten years ago? The binder has disappeared, the manufacturer’s website has changed, and no one knows what glazing was installed. This very concrete problem is beginning to find a solution.
VEKA, one of the leading manufacturers of PVC profiles, has introduced a system called WinDo Pass. The principle: a QR code affixed to the joinery provides access to the product characteristics, associated documents (declared performance, components, FDES), and maintenance instructions.
This is not yet a regulatory requirement applicable to all windows. It is an industrial initiative that anticipates the likely arrival of a digital passport for construction products. For an individual, finding all the updates on Maison Pro allows for a better understanding of the scope of these changes.
The practical interest is direct: in the event of resale, damage, or partial replacement, each joinery carries its own identity card. No more need to sift through paper archives.
RE2020 extended to the tertiary sector: what this changes for choosing a sliding window
As of May 1, 2026, RE2020 applies to new segments of the tertiary sector. In practical terms, the choice of a custom PVC sliding window is no longer based solely on price or aesthetics.
The calculation now incorporates the building as a whole. Several indicators come into play:
- The Uw coefficient (thermal performance of the entire window, including the frame), which must reach a sufficient level so as not to negatively impact the project’s balance
- The solar factor Sw, which measures the glazing’s ability to let in sunlight, a parameter to be balanced according to the orientation of the opening
- The Ic construction indicator, related to the carbon footprint of the materials used, where the product’s FDES plays a direct role
Compliance is assessed at the project level, not at the individual product level. A PVC sliding window may display excellent individual performance but cause issues if the rest of the building does not meet the standards. The installer or project manager must integrate these parameters from the design phase.
For new residential projects, RE2020 already applied. The novelty of 2026 mainly concerns offices, retail spaces, and educational buildings. Carbon thresholds are gradually tightening for everyone, with an additional level expected in 2028.
Total removal in PVC renovation: a technical change to watch
When replacing a sliding window in renovation, there are two options. The first is to install the new joinery on the existing frame (the part fixed in the wall). The second, total removal, takes everything out and starts from the structural work.
Why total removal is gaining ground
Keeping the old frame reduces construction time and cost. But it also decreases the clear glazing (the actual glazed area) because the new frame is added to the old one. On a custom PVC sliding window, where every centimeter of light counts, the loss of clear glazing can be significant.
VEKA has announced the commercialization of a total removal solution specifically designed for PVC by the end of 2026. The goal is to simplify connections with the structural work and ensure a clean finish without excessive additional costs.
Low threshold and waterproofing: a technical compromise
Reduced accessibility thresholds are increasingly requested, especially for sliding doors leading to a terrace. However, a low threshold is not suitable for all exposures. The manufacturer indicates a water tightness class E*5A on certain systems, with a possibility of installation flush with the exterior.
Before choosing a recessed or flush threshold, it is essential to check the exposure of the opening to wind and rain. A perfectly accessible joinery that is poorly protected from the elements will create leaks in just a few seasons.
Recycling of PVC profiles and carbon footprint: where the industry stands
Recycled PVC in window profiles is not a recent marketing argument. But in 2026, regulatory pressure is pushing the industry to document its practices precisely.
FDES (Environmental and Health Declaration Sheets) are becoming a selection criterion for projects subject to RE2020. These sheets detail the carbon impact of the product throughout its life cycle: manufacturing, transport, installation, usage duration, and end of life.
For a PVC sliding window, the proportion of recycled material in the profile, the declared lifespan, and the recycling conditions at end of life directly influence the building’s carbon score. A profile designed from the outset to be disassembled and recycled achieves a better assessment than a composite profile that is difficult to separate.
This is not a detail reserved for public works. Every new project subject to RE2020 must integrate this data into its LCA calculation (Life Cycle Assessment). Choosing a manufacturer that publishes its FDES and documents its recycled content becomes a concrete advantage, not just a symbolic gesture.
Custom PVC sliding windows in 2026 will not look quite like those from five years ago. Digital traceability, tightening carbon thresholds, total removal solutions in renovation, and increasing demands for the waterproofing of low thresholds are reshaping the selection criteria. Checking the product’s FDES and the system’s compatibility with the planned installation method is now as relevant as comparing prices per square meter.
