Clearview 236 - July 2021 | Page 37

ALUMINIUM

NEW COLOUR COLLECTION TRANFORMS OFFERING

» ALUK IS TRANSFORMING ITS colour offering with the launch of a brandnew colour collection which it says will help trade customers win more business with stronger , more sustainable margins .
Working with paint supplier Akzo Nobel , AluK has identified the key trends dominating the retail and commercial markets at the moment and put together four distinct , highly durable colour ranges in response .
Branded Elements , Homestead , Spectrum and Urbane , they are available on all of AluK ’ s products on competitively short lead times and are designed to give customers a huge advantage when it comes to their own sales and logistics operations .
Elements and Homestead are AluK ’ s powder coated colour ranges for the retail market . Elements features 17 vibrant RAL options in a smooth finish , while Homestead includes 13 classic , warm RAL options in a textured finish .
For the commercial market , AluK ’ s Spectrum and Urbane ranges combine additional durability with enhanced variations in finish to suit both volume and high-end specifications . There are 21 contemporary textured metallic colours within Spectrum , while Urbane features 14 bolder colours in a smooth anodic metal finish which offers a simple and cost-effective alternative to anodising .
All four ranges have been brought together in a stunning new sales brochure printed with fully colour matched samples so that buyers can see realistic representations of the colours before they place an order . Sioned Roberts , AluK ’ s Marketing Director , says : “ This new colour collection is aimed squarely at both and is a very deliberate response from AluK to help all our customers use colour as a way to increase margins . It maintains the easy ordering and guaranteed lead times associated with standard products but streamlines the choice of RAL colours and textures to just the most popular options , drastically simplifying the logistics .” She adds : “ There is a misconception in the market that colour in aluminium just means Anthracite grey , when in fact that only accounts for a proportion of sales driven by what has been most popular over recent years . Other colours are increasingly coming to the fore as market demand shifts , and AluK has plenty of alternative grey and black options in the new collection as well as on-trend shades of brown , blue , green and cream .”
www . alukgb . com / colour

Ultramodern systems in step with botanically-inspired Wardian development to stand the test of time

» INSPIRED BY THE 19TH century Wardian Case of Dr Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward , which botanists used to transport plant specimens from remote parts of the globe , Wardian in London ’ s Docklands is being hailed as a landmark in sustainable development for the 21st century .
The development by EcoWorld Ballymore comprises 50 and 55 storey residential towers containing 768 one and two bedroom flats , as well as penthouse suites , with views of Canary Wharf and a podium housing a private screening room , restaurant and retail units . The renowned design practice , Glenn Howells Architects was
responsible for not only the overall concept and detailed design , but also much of the interior work . Meanwhile the decision to utilise WICONA ’ s WICLINE 75 doors , bespoke WICSLIDE 150PS sliding glazing and WICLINE 90SG windows - all integrated into the custom unitised façade solution - was taken by the Czech based façade contractor , Sipral .
With mechanical services being a hugely significant contributor to a building ’ s whole-life energy consumption , controlling solar gain and avoiding reliance on air conditioning has been a key principal in Wardian ’ s design ethos . Therefore as well as utilising roof gardens with mature
trees to temper incoming air , the towers ’ design makes impressive use of passive measures to protect the living spaces from solar gain . A spokesperson for Glenn Howells Architects commented : “ The project drew inspiration from botanical roots and Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward ’ s Wardian cases , but sustainability was also a key factor . Wardian has been designed to reduce solar gain through the use of projecting terraces , giving a 42 % cooling load reduction in comparison to towers with less shaded façades , which is projected to rise to 55 % saving by 2050 as temperatures rise .
“ Rather than rely on air conditioning , Wardian ’ s sky
gardens cool incoming air as well as providing every home with generous shaded amenity . The greenery also contributes to air quality , as well as creating an environment that is relaxing and enjoyable to use . We further worked closely with Sipral to get the glazing specification just right and meet the requirements for solar gains , while we also had a lot of work to do addressing acoustics .”
www . wicona . com
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