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Smart innovations in focus at Futurebuild

 

Futurebuild 2023: Stand D10

 

Smart Architectural Aluminium will be displaying a wide range of new products and systems at this year’s Futurebuild exhibition. With innovative solutions across its three core product areas, visitors will have chance to see both completely new products and product evolutions in each of the company’s Internal, External and Outdoor Living collections.

The impressive 170 square metre stand will also feature displays of many of the company’s established systems, including the proven Alitherm Heritage windows and doors, Visofold Heritage slide/fold doors, Designer Doors and Smart Wall framing systems.

Innovative new additions to Smart’s External collection will feature prominently on the stand, including the all new Signature Door range, a double Designer Door option, two new Visoglide patio doors, an opening vent for the Aliver roof light and additions to the Alitherm 400 window and door system. The Signature Door range brings a completely new collection of entrance and back doors to sit alongside the company’s Designer Door range, opening up an even broader audience for these high quality, high security doors. The Visoglide slide/fold door additions include a new bonded system, which will provide enhanced security and extremely slim profiles, as well as a highly energy efficient option which benefits from low u-values.

Smart’s AluSpace system will be the focus of the Internal collection display, which will showcase the system’s ability to elegantly divide or delineate interior spaces, while retaining a light and airy environment.

Finally, the display of the company’s expanding Outdoor Living range will feature previews of the new aluminium SolDeck decking and SolUmbra pergola systems. Developed to provide a slip-resistant and durable solution for gardens, balconies, terraces and patios, SolDeck is easy to instal and requires virtually no maintenance. Complementing this is the SolUmbra aluminium pergola system. Free-standing or attached to a façade, the stylish system is fully customisable, with a wide range of profile, roof, colour and glazing options.

Commenting on the company’s presence at the show, Managing Director Eddie Robinson, said:

“We are delighted to return to ExCeL for Futurebuild 2023, and particularly to be involved in the Innovation Trail, which provides a great opportunity to showcase the broad range of innovative new products that we have developed across our entire product range.

“We are looking forward to having the opportunity of discussing all these new products in more depth with visitors to the show and to once again welcome customers, colleagues and industry partners to our stand.”

 

 

For more details visit the company on Stand D10 of the exhibition

or CLICK HERE for the

Smart Architectural Aluminium Website

or call 01934 876 100

 

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Senior’s sleek finish adds style to Royal Enfield’s new R&D facility

As one of the world’s oldest and most famous motorcycle manufacturers, Royal Enfield is known for creating modern classics and the company’s cool and contemporary style has inspired the design of a striking new technology centre in Leicestershire, which features a range of aluminium glazing solutions from Senior Architectural Systems.

Designed by LE1 Architects, the highly glazed façade of the impressive two storey research and development facility has been created by leading fabricator and installer Unique Window Systems Ltd for main contractor Stepnell.

With the need to maximise the flow of natural light whilst ensuring a comfortable internal working environment a key requirement, the attractive slim sightlines and enhanced thermal performance of Senior’s popular SF52 aluminium curtain wall system was the perfect choice for the building’s dramatic glazed entrance. To complete the fenestration package, Senior’s slim profile thermally-broken SPW300 aluminium windows were also specified, alongside Senior’s high-performance SPW500 and SPW501 aluminium doors which are ideally suited to high traffic applications.

Having successfully worked with Senior Architectural Systems on previous contracts, Unique Windows Systems Ltd recommended the use of Senior’s products for this high-profile scheme where achieving the desired aesthetics and performance was paramount. The strong yet slim profile of Senior’s SF52 aluminium curtain wall and SPW300 aluminium windows have helped to create the sleek, modern finish that the architect and client desired, with the low U-values offered by both systems also contributing to the overall energy-efficiency of the building.

Commenting, Patrick Marston, marketing manager at Unique Windows Systems Ltd said: “Senior Architectural Systems provide an excellent range of aluminum products for us to fabricate from. We often have complex budget and performance requirements from our customers to consider and Senior have a portfolio of products that means we can offer our clients an array of options to best suit”.

Located on the site of a former airbase in Bruntingthorpe near Lutterworth in Leicestershire, the new technology center for Royal Enfield is set to play a vital role in the manufacturer’s long-term product development strategy and as well as providing new office and design space, also includes state of the art facilities for the testing of new motorcycles.

For more information about Senior, visit www.seniorarchitectural.co.uk.
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BES 6001: 3.1 Certification Awarded

The impact of our purchasing decisions has never been more critical. Our global economy is now bringing to bear the Butterfly effect: when a butterfly flaps it’s wings in one part of the world it can cause a hurricane in another part of the world. Construction by its nature of increasing or improving density is intensely energy demanding, the embodied energy contained in our building stock has derived from the earth’s resources, therefore, as construction professionals we should all carefully consider the ethics of our purchasing decisions. The materials used on a building draw from the Global economy, therefore a decision today could create deforestation in poorer regions of the world or create the impetus for modern slavery.

Comar Architectural Aluminium Systems, as a British privately owned organisation has always held its integrity in business as the cornerstone of its operations. As part of The Parkside Group Limited, Comar has built up excellent, long term relationships with its suppliers, ensuring they are paid on time and if issues arose building partnerships which quickly lead to their resolution. We require as a minimum that they have an ethical business and hold ISO 14001 certification. Good supplier management coupled with ethical business practices is the basis of BRE’s BES 6001 standard for the Responsible Sourcing of Construction Products.

We are pleased to announce that we are certified through BRE’s new BES 6001:3.01 Responsible Sourcing of Construction Products, receiving a “Good” rating. This ensures that our architectural and contractor partners can rest assured, that in contracting with Comar and its Nationwide Network of Approved Subcontractors our aluminium windows, doors and curtain walling systems have been sourced responsibly with a company that holds the ethics of good supplier management at its heart. Not only does BES 6001 audit and accredit supplier management it delves deeper to ensure that all aspects of global citizenship are covered, these are held under three main headings: Organisational Management, Supply Chain Management and Environmental and Social Responsibility Management. This award is even more noteworthy when we consider that this is the new standard and Comar are the first to receive this in the aluminium sector.

Recognising the importance of our Purchasing decisions and the impact they may have on our environment and society, we encourage our Supply Chain to implement a certified Quality, Environmental, and Health and Safety Management System. We also recognise the importance of Environmental Protection and we are committed to operating our business in compliance with all Environmental Regulations, Legislation and initiatives relating to the building industry and the wider Environment.

It is the organisation’s objective to operate with, and to maintain good relations with all regulatory bodies and places Environmental Protection at the core of its operations. The Parkside Group Limited is accredited to the Environmental Standard ISO 14001:2004 and is currently in transition to the new 2015 version.

The Parkside Group is committed to conducting its business in an open and honest manner and as such this our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy reflects the commitment of our employees to minimise the impact of our operations for future generations and ensuring the welfare of its staff and the local area. We pride ourselves with promoting all we do in an ethical and integral way. As part of our commitment to responsibly sourcing we continuously monitor the impact of our working practices and the design of our systems to ensure any environmental impact is minimised.

For our full CSR Statement please visit: www.comar-alu.co.uk/environmental.
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Senior provides recipe for success at new kitchen showroom

Combining superior thermal performance with minimal sight lines, Senior Architectural System’s SF52 aluminium curtain walling is helping to attract customers to a new flagship showroom for kitchen manufacturer Magnet.

Fabricated and installed by Aire Valley Architectural Aluminium Ltd for main contractor Castlehouse Construction, the SF52 curtain wall was specified as a toggle structural glazing system which thanks to its slim 52mm profile, provided the perfect solution to achieving a façade that features uninterrupted large expanses of glazing and an attractive flush finish.

The thermal performance of the SF52 system has also been enhanced through the use of double-glazed low emissivity glass, helping to contribute to the overall energy-efficiency of the building and the creation of a comfortable internal environment.

Senior’s curtain walling has been further complemented by the use of its thermally broken SPW500 commercial doors and SPW600 windows which together help to provide a light and welcoming space for customers.

Located in Leeds, West Yorkshire, the new flagship showroom for Magnet has been designed by LoRoc Architects and also features a new trade counter, office and warehouse facility.

With a wealth of experience in delivering high-quality solutions for commercial and retail applications, Senior curtain walling and glazing systems have been designed to help specifers working in this market meet the required environmental requirements by creating high-visibility shop frontages that minimise solar gain to create a comfortable consumer experience.

For more information about Senior, visit www.seniorarchitectural.co.uk.
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Reynaers nominated in top industry awards

Reynaers has once again been recognised as leading the industry, after receiving two award nominations this month.

The aluminium systems company has been put forward for the prestigious G16 Awards and the Construction Marketing Awards (CMA), which recognise marketing excellence in the built environment.

Judges from the CMAs selected Reynaers as a contender for the ‘Best use of advertising’ award. Reynaers designs and supplies aluminium window, door and curtain wall systems to both the commercial and domestic construction markets and its use of testimonials in its advertising this year has made it stand out from competitors.

Meanwhile, Masterline – the latest window system addition to Reynaers’ portfolio – has been nominated for ‘New Product of the Year’ at the G16 Awards.

The Masterline window system is a completely new window suite that will be launched next year in the UK. It is destined to set a new benchmark in terms of thermal insulation, weather resistance, security, strength and durability, sustainability, design flexibility, aesthetics, production efficiency, and value for money.

Running for more than a decade, The G Awards celebrate and reward excellence in the UK Glass and Glazing industry.

Hugh Moss, Reynaers’ Head of Marketing, said: “We’re delighted to have been nominated for both of these awards and can’t wait for the results. It is fitting that in 2016, our 25th anniversary year here in the UK, we have been recognised as leading the industry with our products and our marketing.”

For more information please visit www.reynaers.co.uk.
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A tasty solution from Encasement for Bradford’s Jinnah Restaurant

A stylish £500,000 restaurant serving high quality Pakistan and Kashmiri cuisine in Bradford is using Forma metal column casings from Encasement to conceal external structural steelwork and add a more aesthetic finish to the building’s extensive ground floor glazed facade.

Jinnah Bradford is part of the Jinnah Group, which runs nine restaurants in key towns and cities across Yorkshire, including York, Harrogate, Leeds and Selby, as well as operating United Foods, a cash and carry outlet also based in Bradford.

As the building has a large glazed facade, the Encasement column casings are designed to conceal the structural supports and provide a more integrated and attractive finish to the building’s exterior. This theme is also carried around the building to the main entrance, which is also flanked by Encasement’s decorative casings.

To achieve this, Encasement supplied and installed eight 832mm wide bespoke semi-circular ‘Forma’ column casings, which are manufactured from 3mm thick aluminium and range in height from 2988mm up to 3900mm. Every Forma casing is finished with a RAL 9006 metallic PPC coating to provide an aesthetic and durable finish while enhancing weather resistance.

Designed for use on both interior and exterior applications, Encasement’s Forma casings are regularly used to conceal exterior steelwork, as their aluminium construction makes them resistant to corrosion. Also the casings can be finished in a wide range of the, such as the used at Jinnah, which enables them to integrate and enhance a building’s design.

Encasement’s Managing director, Martin Taylor, explained: “Restaurants, foodservice and retail environments are areas where our column casings and wall lining solutions are widely used, as they provide a practical and versatile solution to help improve a building’s interior or exterior design while also being highly durable. The Jinnah restaurant project is an ideal demonstration of how column casings can be used to add the finishing touch and enhance the customer experience.”

For more information please visit www.encasement.co.uk

To see more pics of this project please visit www.encasement.co.uk/gallery_column-casing-jinnah-restaurant.aspx
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New landmark high-rise in South West London, supplied by Hueck UK

Another successful collaboration between aluminium building systems supplier, Hueck UK, and façade contractor McMullen Facades Ltd, a Lakesmere Group company, has recently seen the completion of one of south west London’s new landmark buildings, The Pinnacle.

Rising 170 feet high, the tower construction delivers 88 new luxury apartments, including a number of penthouses, with impressive views of the City. Developed by St. George PLC, this 15-storey building is the flagship high-rise within its award-winning riverside project, Battersea Reach.

The Pinnacle’s fully glazed curved façade has been manufactured using the high performance Trigon L aluminium system from Hueck. Highly versatile, this unitised façade system lends itself to a wide variety of curtain walling designs.

“We are using Hueck systems extensively across many of our current projects, and have successfully collaborated with Hueck UK on a series of iconic buildings over the past few years,” said Derek Price, operations director at McMullen Facades Ltd.

“The Pinnacle has a complex design, with no flat elevations, and we were looking for a range of high performance systems, not just curtain walling, but also window and door systems, to meet a series of demanding requirements. Hueck’s portfolio is very broad, allowing for great flexibility, and enabling us to deliver a complex design while ensuring the correct building tolerances were achieved.

“We worked closely with the architect, façade consultants, and our supplier – Hueck UK, through the design stage, ensuring a smooth delivery of the project, on time and on budget,” added Derek.

Approximately 1,300 unitised panels shape The Pinnacle’s striking curved envelope. Aside from Trigon L, the building also boasts nearly 180 Lambda 65 windows and doors. Featuring low thresholds, the doors comply with the Life Time Homes standards, and achieve an impressive 600Pa air permeability/water tightness.

Hueck’s popular Volato M lift/slide doors have also been specified for apartments and penthouses opening into private balconies or terraces.

Leon Friend, Project Development Director at Hueck, commented: “The Hueck Trigon L unitised façade system, combined with McMullen Facades’ engineering expertise, delivers The Pinnacle’s wavy appearance, a tribute to the river Thames, which it overlooks. Aside from looking the part, our systems have had a substantial contribution to meeting stringent energy performance requirements and practicality needs.”

For more information visit www.hueck.com or call 0044 121 7671344.
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Expertise and plant capability secured contract for Powdertech

Powdertech (Corby) Ltd has demonstrated its expertise in metal finishing on both steel and aluminium in the exciting Dickens Yard development, Ealing, West London. As specialists in architectural metal finishing, Powdertech coated all of the steel balconies and balustrade on the site, and many sections of aluminium facade.

Dickens Yard has been developed on the site of a former council car park in the centre of Ealing. It is termed a ‘high density, mixed use’ development, with shops, cafes, restaurants, health and leisure facilities at street level. Sitting directly above these are over six hundred residential apartments with landscaped courtyards, terraces and balconies.

Powdertech powder coated over 70 galvanised steel balcony bases and 500 metres of aluminium glass channel in Axalta RAL7039 matt grey polyester powder, providing corrosion protection and colour for twenty five years. “The large balcony bases up to 6m by 1.5m, and weighing in excess of 800kg took some handling,” said Richard Besant, Powdertech Sales Director, “Our plant has the capacity to accommodate the size, the weight and the quantity of these units.” In addition, posts for over 500 metres steel balustrade were coated in Valspar RAL7012 matt grey.

Ealing is identified as one of London’s major metropolitan centres in the London Plan and Dickens Yard reflects that vision. “This is a prestigious development with a requirement to look smart over many years,” said Richard Besant. “The powder coated finish on the prominent metal work will help to achieve that with minimal maintenance.”

For more information please visit www.powdertechcorby.co.uk.
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Aluminium decking becomes a refurbishment favourite

A manufacturer of patented aluminium open grilles has tapped into widespread demand in the refurbishment sector by offering a more practical alternative to traditional timber decking.

Yorkshire-based neaco has received a high volume of specifications for its unique Techdek system as garden decking, sun terraces, external walkways and balcony flooring. Many architects, designers, landscaping professionals and contractors have been quick to appreciate Techdek’s advantages for refurbishment work: the product is non-toxic, non-combustible, corrosive-free, extremely durable and easy to install without requiring hot works such as welding. A patented swage-locked construction between bars enables high structural efficiency and load-bearing capacity.

neaco’s National Sales Manager, Peter Melia, comments: “We have been attracting a lot of specifications from refurbishment projects which require replacements for timber decking and terraces – Techdek is virtually maintenance-free, which gives it a clear advantage over wood which can be vulnerable to the elements. The erratic British weather can cause wood to expand and contract with fluctuations in temperatures, damaging the fabric of the timber.

“It almost goes without saying that dampness and wood are an uneasy mix. Rain and moist atmospheric conditions are a major cause of decay and deterioration. Regular surface treatment is required to protect the grain. Aluminium decking is an excellent alternative – our grilles are available with a ribbed surface for anti-slip performance. Our advanced manufacturing facilities can even precision-cut bespoke holes in the decking panels to accommodate existing garden features – we can engineer these to outline unique shapes such as the base of tree trunk. The system can be easily recycled with no downgrading of its properties and very little energy required for re-melting.”

neaco has also enjoyed a surge in demand from conversion projects which require balcony flooring for apartments. Techdek is similarly suited to this type of use with grille profiles that provide a generous 74% contact area yet drain water quickly and effectively. It has become one of the product’s most popular applications and neaco have developed another system, Neatdek 188, featuring concealed drainage gaps which provide even greater privacy for balconies by completely obscuring the view from below.

Peter Melia said: “Many residential developments have specified our grilles as an integral part of our all-in-one modular balconies. We offer a range of modular balcony designs which also provide maintenance-free durability and fast installation with all components delivered to site, including grille flooring, handrails, balustrade and glass panel infills. Our experienced team of fitters can carry out construction with minimum disruption to other site activities.”

Techdek was launched in 1972 as neaco’s founding product and back then its original design concept was conceived primarily as an industrial flooring application. However, its high-performance features, adaptable modular design and the natural attributes of aluminium make it suitable for much broader use. With the ability to accommodate a huge range of angles and unusual curvatures, Techdek has gained a reputation as one of the most versatile grille products on the market and has served a wide variety of architectural uses encompassing cladding, roof access walkways, screening, ventilation, bridge cycle/pedestrian ways, staging, balustrade infills and stair treads. Certain profiles have been specifically developed to provide solar shading, either as dual-purpose sunscreen/walkways or a brise soleil only. They greatly reduce the net heat gain (commonly in the order of 20-40%) of sunlight striking tinted or clear windows.

neaco’s diverse product range also includes modular handrail and balustrade systems, Juliet balconies, structural glass and adaptive bathing facilities. All products are backed by a Lifetime Guarantee and the company’s website features a Members Area containing a host of useful design guides and technical files.

For more information, please visit www.neaco.co.uk, call 01653 695721 or email sales@neaco.co.uk.
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Smart Architectural Aluminium Case Study: Kingston Hospital

In 2014, the Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust embarked on a major refurbishment programme to replace the windows and doors of the hospital’s Esher Wing. The work was commissioned not only to improve the building’s aesthetics, but also improve thermal performance, reduce energy costs and deliver improved patient, visitor and staff comfort.

The seven-storey block contained a mix of wards, operating theatres, maternity units and administration facilities, with all four elevations still featuring the building’s original 1960s, heavy-duty steel windows which were well beyond their useful life. As a consequence, the performance of the windows had become extremely poor, with both drafts and water ingress causing major issues.

After an exhaustive scoping and tender process, the trust awarded a management contract to construction consultants Pellings, who took responsibility for the detailed design, specification, procurement and project management of the whole programme. ARJ was subsequently appointed main contractor, with the fenestration fabrication and installation contract being won by Heritage Window Systems (HWS), one of Smart Architectural Aluminium’s specialist partners.

Having been appointed, HWS’s first task was to undertake a full survey of the wing, which revealed a significant variation in the size of the window apertures. To address this, Heritage and Smart developed a novel solution – effectively based on a curtain wall ‘grid’ system with variable trim to allow for the different size of the window units.

Chris White from HWS explains: “This was the only way that we could meet the programme and give the installation team enough flexibility on site to react to programme changes. We sourced colour-matched trims for the windows and then trimmed each one on site to exactly meet the dimensions of the aperture.

“Although the size of the windows was quite large – nominally, each was six metres wide by three metres high – our experienced teams of fabricators and installers were certainly able to deal with units of these dimensions. The main issues we faced were logistical. With work being carried out as the hospital continued to operate, we had a very exacting programme to follow – and a period of just nine hours to complete the upgrade for each unit, whether that was a ward, a theatre or an office. In that time, our teams had to take out the old windows, fit the new units, change the radiator and clean the area to a clinical standard.

“We also undertook the work through the summer of 2015 which had some very high temperature spikes, leading to a rise in admissions and occupancy of many of the hospital’s wards. At one time, the hospital also had to create an isolation ward due to an outbreak of the Novara virus. As a result, our programme was subject to change at very short notice, and our contract manager was based on site for the duration of the work to make sure we kept in daily contact with all parties.”

HWS completed the work in just eight months, starting on site in April and completing just before Christmas, 2015. During this time, the company installed around 1,200 Smart Eco Futural windows – with a combination of tilt and turn and bottom-hung casement windows – as well as seven sets of Smart Wall double doors and the MC 600 curtain wall grid system. MC600 was specified due to the requirement to hang brise soleil units from two of the building’s elevations, with HWS fabricating a bespoke bracket to accommodate this.

The materials were finished to one of Smart’s own colour formulations from the company’s Sensations range, with an Antique Grey finish specified for the external profiles and Velour for the internal.

Paul Dancey, Operations Manager of BMI’s Coombe Wing which formed part of the refurbishment programme said: “The whole project was exceptionally well managed, with the clear communications between all parties a vital component of its success. As a result of the programme, we now have state-of-the-art windows which have considerably improved patients’ comfort and provided a much improved working environment for all hospital staff.”

Ian Nunn from Pellings had the final word: “This was a technically and logistically challenging project, but one which was successfully delivered on time and under budget, thanks to a true partnership approach. All parties – Pellings, ARJ, HWS and Smart worked extremely collaboratively to ensure that the programme was achieved with as little disruption to the hospital’s staff, patients and visitors as possible.

“While inevitably in a project of this complexity issues did arise, they were resolved quickly and collaboratively to ensure that the work remained on track. The end result is a much-improved appearance and a building which is warmer, weather-proof, more energy-efficient and better ventilated.”

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