54
EXTERNAL ENVELOPE
Deliver facade confi dence with substructure focus
By Gary Robson, Business Development Manager at EJOT UK
T required
he demands on rear ventilated or rainscreen facades are increasing all the time, with today’s designs often to deliver
coupled with ever higher standards of fi re safety,
thermal performance and
sustainability – usually within a demanding build programme.
The multiple challenges these design objectives and performance targets present mean the substructure has an increasingly important role to play. In many projects, a system-based approach is adopted to help reduce technical uncertainty and simplify delivery.
However, as the performance
capabilities of substructure systems, and the components that form them, varies widely, it is vital to carefully evaluate how the proposed support framing will meet the facade’s overall goals. Substructures like EJOT CROSSFIX are multi-purpose and critical to a facade’s safety and long-term success. They must support various cladding loads, accommodate ever deeper levels of insulation, maintain strict ventilation levels and withstand the impact of fi re, as well as manage movement caused by wind and thermal expansion.
Choosing ETA-backed components and systems
Facade substructures are often created using components sourced from multiple manufacturers,
including rails, brackets,
substrate fi xings, insulation anchors and cladding fasteners. Although each product may carry its own performance credentials, proving compatibility across the complete assembly can be more complex. Two very similar components may also have signifi cantly different performance credentials,
potentially introducing
uncertainty regarding tolerances, movement allowances and responsibility for performance. All this adds risk and increases design coordination requirements. This is one of the reasons why fully integrated systems, EJOT CROSSFIX,
such as are increasingly
popular. As a single engineered system manufactured from stainless steel, CROSSFIX
is formed of components
designed and tested to work together from the outset. This reduces the number of interfaces requiring verifi cation and offers a clearer route to technical support – one system, one supplier. CROSSFIX is Passivhaus certifi ed and backed by a comprehensive European Technical
Assessment (ETA), The EJOT CROSSFIX Konsole providing
independently verifi ed performance data across a range of cladding materials, substrates and design confi gurations. This helps project teams assess structural
capability, thermal performance and
durability with greater certainty. Versatile and engineered to minimise thermal bridging, the CROSSFIX system utilises the innovative Konsole bracket. This can be used with both vertical and horizontal rails to simplify design and installation and reduce inventory. The Konsole also incorporates a thermal stop to further limit heat transmittance between the building structure and the cladding system.
A fully supported system on every level With CROSSFIX, architects and specifi ers also benefi t from a simplifi ed design process because EJOT provides one source of technical information, calculations and design guidance. And structural engineers can easily access tested performance data and clearly defi ned load paths, while contractors can gain effi ciencies through simplifi ed procurement and coordination.
Early-stage technical support is another valuable dimension to working with EJOT UK, whether using the complete CROSSFIX system or our numerous individual components as part of another system. Our team can help identify suitable bracket confi gurations, movement solutions and fi xing arrangements well before construction begins.
InfoUK@ejot.com
www.ejot.co.uk/CROSSFIX
aesthetic excellence
A project at Bremervörde, Germany, in which EJOT CROSSFIX was used to create the external envelope of a new school building.
WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK
ADF SEPTEMBER 2026
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 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78
