Alutec and the future of housebuilding

Alutec’s aluminium rainwater systems have been installed on a landmark new housing project developed by Wienerberger, the leading provider of wall, roof and landscaping innovations. The Wienerberger e4 brick house™ at the BRE Innovation Park has been designed to be a future archetype for sustainable and affordable housing in the UK.

Designed in conjunction with global engineering and design consultancy ARUP, the e4 brick house™ is based around four fundamental principles of energy, economy, environment and emotion. Designed using Building Information Modelling (BIM), the Wienerberger e4 brick house™ has a build time of just 12 weeks, which is around half that of standard housing, and has the flexibility to work just as effectively through shared ownership as it would for a privately-owned home.

Central to the project’s ethos is the use of market leading building products and solutions that offer excellent sustainability credentials as well as high levels of performance. Specified for the coping, fascia and soffit system was Alutec’s Evoke range in RAL7016 Anthracite Grey. Made from highly durable composite aluminium, the Evoke range has a life expectancy of 50 years or more and features a unique nano self-cleaning coat resulting in minimal maintenance requirements.

Also specified was Alutec’s Evolve Half Round guttering and downpipes in the same colour. The Evolve product range is manufactured from marine grade aluminium and as this high quality material is so impervious to corrosion, it provides the same 50-year life expectancy as the coping, fascia and soffit. In addition, aluminium is also extremely light – up to 65 per cent lighter than cast iron alternatives – making it much safer to handle on site and quicker to install.

Paul Surin, Head of Built Environment at Wienerberger, commented: “The Wienerberger e4 brick house represents a significant step forward in the progression of UK housing and offers an accessible model that can be implemented now. Choosing the right materials was therefore crucial in achieving a build that met the strict requirements the future industry will demand and that we set for ourselves.

“Alutec’s products were a perfect fit in this respect as their longevity, sustainability and low maintenance requirements meant we could deliver not only the type of building we wanted to but the intended lifestyle for the future residents as well.

Importantly, Alutec’s products are available as BIM components which meant they could be seamlessly integrated into the design and allowed us to meet the tight deadlines we had set ourselves for the build of this project.”

Alutec has the most comprehensive BIM portfolio of components of any rainwater product manufacturer and has an experienced technical team that can assist with bespoke design and project management. What’s more, Alutec’s products installed on the Wienerberger e4 brick house are full recyclable at the end of their extended life span, making them some of the most sustainable products available in the UK.

Designed to achieve standards such as the Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 without renewables, 2016 Part L and complying with Lifetime Homes and the London Housing Design Guide, the Wienerberger e4 brick house provides a real solution to the current housing crisis.

For more information about Alutec please visit: www.marleyalutec.co.uk.

For more information about Wienerberger and the e4 brick house please visit: www.wienerberger.co.uk/e4-house