Design Buy Build Issue 44 2020 | Page 20

ALTERNATIVES TO ALUMINIUM Graham Lindsay, Founder of Weru UK offers advice to customers looking for premium window profile systems. Over recent years, there has been a significant increase in demand for aluminium and similar alternatives for high end building projects which require premium products. Whilst aluminium products are driving the growth, there are extremely innovative hybrid solutions available on the market, which deliver superb quality and unrivalled thermal and acoustic properties. At Weru UK, we manufacture a hybrid alternative to aluminium called AFINO-tec which is 25% lighter and allows for a 30% increased aperture than PVCu, making it an ideal option for bespoke, architecturally designed builds which demand larger, stronger glass areas. 20 "An increase in the environmentally conscious individual has also affected the demand for the best thermal insulation characteristics." Pictured in the case study below, this system, specifically designed for Weru, is an innovative blend of PVCu and fibreglass, which creates a pioneering material called RAuFipro. This high-tech GFP composite produces a system 2x stronger than PVCu, making it an ideal alternative to aluminium. By reinforcing high-tech material and load- bearing components into the frame, the system surpasses other windows by means of its enduring dimensional stability and impressive resistance force.