BUILDING MATERIALS
recent SAFIERA (South African Fenestration
energy efficiency in buildings
windows and doors are
and Insulation Energy Rating Association)
and is an international best
professionally pre-sealed
test confirms this, stating that the company’s
practices standard
and pre-glazed before they
double-glazed windows are one of the most
that is intended
leave the Swartland factory,
energy efficient tested windows currently on
to be phased
so that when they arrive
the market in South Africa.
into mandatory
on the building site, they
standards within the
are ready to be installed
GREEN BUILDING REGULATIONS
In November 2011, new building regulations
next 10 years.
Its innovative
with no further labour
required to seal or glaze
were introduced in South Africa as part of the
Ready-2-Fit
steps taken towards greater energy efficiency
range of wooden
builder and homeowner time and money on
them. This not only saves the
and energy usage in buildings. Sans 10400-XA
windows and doors are
installation costs, but it also ensures that the
relates to energy usage in buildings and it is
compliant with the new building regulations.
windows and doors are adequately protected
mandatory by law, whilst SANS 204 relates to
“Swartland’s Ready-2-Fit range of wooden
against exposure to the elements. It also vastly
increases the overall build quality, ensuring
that the windows and doors are finished to
Swartland’s exacting standards and therefore,
ensuring that any warrantees are upheld. Even
more importantly, however, it ensures that
these products are all fully compliant with all
the National Building Regulations, as well as
the Consumer Protection Act,” he explains.
In order to ensure that its windows and
doors are compliant with the SANS 613 and
204 (Fenestration Products) Mechanical
Performance Criteria, the Ready-2-Fit windows
are tested for deflection, structural strength,
water-resistance, air-tightness, operating
forces, and the best possible energy efficiency.
As a result, all of its Ready-2-Fit windows have
unique mechanical property values, from A1 to
A4, assigned to them.
EASE OF MAINTENANCE
Nobody wants to spend lots of time and effort
maintaining their home’s windows. Fenestration
products that require minimum maintenance,
while still offering an attractive aesthetic, are by
far the most popular choice today. In the past,
wooden windows required lots of maintenance,
as they had to be sanded down regularly and
re-sealed. However, with the introduction of the
water-based sealant, Lourens notes that this is
a thing of the past. “Water-based coatings are
by far the best option on the market for sealing
wood – they are the easiest to maintain and
apply, and they boast a wide range of other
benefits too,” he says.
After extensive research, the company
found that Maxicare water-based coatings,
sourced from a top German manufacturer,
offers the best protection, durability, and ease
of maintenance currently on the market. HA
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HARDWARE AFRICA 2014