Aluminium is a quite superb building material which costs less to transport than steel, is easier to construct (as so much lighter to handle), yet has inherent strength. Aluminium allows designers and architects the opportunity to design feature and style to a building. Aluminium is also an incredibly environmentally friendly material as it requires less energy than steel to both manufacture it and recycle it.
Aluminium is therefore a material which is both sustainable and offers longevity, given it is 100% recyclable. In a Delft University pan-European study 86% of aluminium used in the old Wembley stadium was recycled and reclaimed. Longevity is also favourable with industry standard twenty-five year guarantees for polyester powder coated aluminium and thirty-five year guarantees for anodised aluminium applications.
If one considers the building envelope integrating large glazed screens, canopies, windows and attractive focal entrance points all can be achieved through installing and integrating a combination of aluminium ground floor treatment, curtain walling, windows and doors. The envelope can be expanded with roof glazing to incorporate pitched, barrelled or pyramid vaults. These areas can be as sleek as the designer requires. Aluminium naturally has high strength to weight ratios so large glazed spans and multi-storey applications can be achieved with slim sight-lines. The opportunity to polyester powder coat or anodise means that a multitude of colour shades can provide contrast or minimal visibility to the project.
Aluminium has the ability to integrate both panels and glass into the same façade; a variety of gaskets ensure that most applications can be catered for. Aluminium offers sturdy assurance that it will withstand the rigours of the British weather, testing to CWCT standards to Sequence B takes the design safety test up to 3600Pa.
Aluminium is robust and is ideal for high traffic applications, such as retail shopping centres, schools and hospitals. If one considers entrance doors, available in configurations such as swing, sliding, sliding and folding, the robust profiles ensure longevity even with endless open and closing cycles.
Aluminium windows also offer a myriad of options to cater specifically for the application. Tilt and turn, top-swing reversible, sliding and pivot aluminium windows have been around for many years with UK Systems Houses working closely with the gearing manufacturers which means that these are tried and tested solutions for providing ventilation without putting security at risk. In multi-storey applications the configuration selected, for instance top-swing reversible or pivot, has options to fully reverse the external surface to allow cleaning from the inside. Tilt and Turn aluminium windows allow the window to open-in for cleaning.
In Summary aluminium is both the building material and fenestration material that, through its long use, has developed to provide function, form and solutions for even the most demanding projects. Systems Houses, such as Comar Architectural Aluminium Systems, continually develop and refine their profile catalogues to meet the demands of cutting edge designers, providing support and calculation at any stage of the tender process. As independent aluminium manufacturers and installers, Hazlemere Commercial are able to offer clients a range of profiles such as Comar, as well as offer expert design assistance with wind loading and bespoke project development.
Now with improvements in glass and to keep up with Document L, aluminium systems can utilise thermal foam and increased thermal break technology to take performance to Code for Sustainable Homes Level 6. With the European Aluminium Association’s “Future Generations” initiative, aluminium’s long reputation as a recyclable material is gaining further exposure. Future Generations is a scheme which highlights that the fact that the use of aluminium is actually creating a bank of material that can be re-used and recycled in the future. Due to the value of scrap aluminium, it has one of the most development recycling schemes known to man, and is becoming an ever more sort after material for the right reasons.
