23
Making the most of aluminium windows
Director of ASWS (Associated Steel Window Services) Kris Bennell, considers how conserving aluminium window systems can cut cost as well as carbon
A
s a strong, lightweight and very versatile material, aluminium has seen service for everything from saucepans to the fuselages of supersonic jet aircraft, while also being ubiquitous across the construction industry. Significantly, it is also hailed as one of the most successfully recycled metals, globally – with manufacturers confidently predicting that we will eventually reach the point where mankind will no longer need to expend vast amounts of energy smelting down the world’s abundant reserves of bauxite ore. Reuse has reached the point where one of Europe’s foremost producers has established a sophisticated supply chain for recovered aluminium, whereby clients can opt to have their shiny new fenestration systems fabricated from ingots certified to contain a minimum 75% recycled material. This approach consumes a fraction of the energy – renewable or otherwise – needed
ADF OCTOBER 2024
to produce virgin stock. In refurbishment situations, however, should project teams be seeking an even more sustainable solution? An increasing number of developers and their design consultants are coming to understand the genuine value of retaining as much as possible of existing properties, even where they are not subject to conservation requirements. They are understanding that reuse can offer the lowest environmental footprint and potentially significant budget savings. While this ethos is well established with regard to steel and even century old timber windows, the poor reputation of early aluminium windows – whose surfaces frequently pitted and became powdery – is such that replacement is the default position for most developers.
Surveys & thermal performance Undertaking condition surveys pre-contract can pay dividends. Judging the viability of
WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36
