In spaces like offices, factories, and homes where we spend a significant portion of our lives, what do you consider to be the most crucial architectural element? According to our architectural team, it’s windows and doors. In these living spaces, there is no other architectural component that provides you with a continuous connection to the outside world, offers beautiful views, and fills you with energy through natural light while allowing constant passage in and out. This is where numerous alternative options come into play. Aluminium Joinery is one of them. So, what is this Aluminum? Why has its usage reached its peak globally in recent times? Why is it an essential element for prestigious structures? Let’s take a look together.
First and foremost, aluminum is lightweight and malleable. This minimizes labor costs and potential issues arising from transportation. When subjected to necessary thermal processes, it easily takes the shape of required molds and can be pressed in machines of various lengths, such as 6 meters, 12 meters, and so on. Once these profiles undergo the necessary treatments, highly durable materials are produced. Another significant characteristic is its resistance to corrosion, which makes it a preferred choice in kitchen utensils and the automotive industry. It’s due to these qualities and more that aluminum became a part of our lives as framing material (windows, doors, facade claddings, etc.) in the early 20th century.
Especially in the latter half of the past century, European-origin aluminum fenestration design companies took the subject to much higher levels. During this period, global awareness of energy conservation increased, leading our buildings to become structures that lose minimal energy and even generate their own energy over time. The areas with the highest energy vulnerability are windows and doors. As a result, companies developed numerous systems to minimize energy transfer, which refers to the exchange of heat between the interior and exterior of a building. Other countries and companies followed suit by introducing their own aluminum window and door systems to meet the market demand.
Below, you can observe three different versions of insulation for a simple window, ranging from the lowest to the highest insulation level. When designing these systems, factors such as profile thickness, U-values of individual components forming the system, overall U-value of the system, thermal barrier thickness, water tightness, and water drainage methods have been meticulously addressed. In our projects, we choose the system based on these and more factors. Water has always been a concerning factor for structures. Aluminum systems with well-engineered designs can withstand even the harshest conditions when it comes to water infiltration. Those familiar with construction know that water can seep into various places, but in good systems, a drainage scenario is anticipated for this water. This anticipated water path is referred to as a condensation (drainage) channel.
One of the greatest advantages of aluminum is the extensive range of colors we can apply to its surface. An aluminum profile can be painted in all existing color tones worldwide. In architecture, these color tones are coded to prevent confusion and errors, and this coding is referred to as RAL Colors. In addition to unlimited color options, powder coating can also be applied in various textures. These can be easily categorized as matte, glossy, textured, and anodized. Paint companies have long been following this upward trend in aluminum fenestration and have developed and continue to produce powder coatings in many different intermediate shades and a wide variety of textures.
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