30
JANUARY 2015 PRO INSTALLER
PRO PRODUCTS
www.proinstaller.co.uk
THE SMART
WAY TO FIT
WINDOWS
Commercial systems
specialist, Smart Architectural Aluminium,
launched a number of
new products, further
extending the company’s door and window
ranges and providing
even greater scope
in both design and
performance for architects and designers.
The innovative Alitherm
700 range has been enhanced by the introduction
of both parallel opening
and top-swing reversible windows, the range
offering an ideal solution
for increasing levels of
natural ventilation and
delivering a balanced and
effective airflow without
compromising security or
safety. The system works
perfectly with curtain wall
facades for low and highrise projects.
The Alitherm Heritage
range will also soon feature
a pivot window option, specifically designed to fit into
very traditional openings
such as stone mullions. In
line with all Alitherm Heritage systems, this new option
will provide a modern, thermally-broken solution to the
problem of replacing traditional steel-framed doors
and windows, the elegant
lines of the system perfectly
replicating the slim profiles
of traditional steel windows
and doors. Alitherm Heritage is ideal for sensitive
planning areas and for renovation and refurbishment
projects where traditional
steel doors and windows
have to be replaced.
Completing the new
window introductions is
the latest addition to the
Eco Futural range of high
performance commercial
windows, with the launch
of a tilt-turn system to
complement the existing
options. In line with the rest
of the range, the profile of
each of the tilt-turn products features a chambered
polyamide thermal break
to deliver excellent thermal
performance.
Two new door systems
were also launched last
year, with both the Visoglide Plus and Smart Wall
rebated doors providing
further high-performance
options for specifiers. With
a distinctive, slim profile,
the Visoglide Plus sliding
door combines contemporary styling and robust
performance, with exceptional thermal performance.
Designed specifically for
large commercial and highend residential projects, the
door is available in a range
of sizes of up to 2.5 metres
by 7 metres, and with the
option of auto-slide gearing,
provides the perfect solution
for applications where
large opening apertures are
required. The flexibility and
versatility of Visoglide Plus
is further enhanced with
the option of a triple-track
format, with three sliding
panes allowing an opening
aperture of up to 75%.
Finally, the new Smart
Wall rebated door provides
an anti-finger trap solution
which delivers excellent security, U-values and weather
protection. In line with all
Smart Wall products, the
new rebated door has been
successfully tested in accordance with the rigorous
standards of BS EN 1627
and LPS1175 for security
and BS 6375 for weather
performance, making it the
perfect choice for public
buildings such as schools,
hospitals and libraries.
Improving Thermal
Efficiency with a Cost
Effective Solution
Rapierstar, a UK based, National producer of high
quality screws, fixings and PPE and workwear is
launching a range of new products for 2015.
PROSHIELD™ is a water
repellent, environmentally friendly masonry
treatment that is quick
and easy to apply. It
penetrates to provide a
strong water repellent
bond that maintains vapour breathability and
is invisible to the naked
eye, retaining the look
of original masonry and
protecting from damaging water ingress.
Andy Holland, Group
Marketing & Technical Design Manager at Rapierstar,
discusses the benefits of
PROSHIELD™ he said:
“The product is unique in
that it gives hydrophobic
properties and also increases the thermal efficiency of
existing masonry structures.
It complements Rapierstar’s
existing product ranges,
which are supplied into
the fenestration, building
construction and home improvement markets.
“Energy efficiency is a real
strong factor in the fenestration industry and the focus,
quite rightly, is on more
energy efficient doors and
windows, but what about
the rest of the building
structure?
“The walls of a building
can account for a large
proportion of heat lost
through its fabric, and there
are pressures to design and
adapt buildings to improve
their thermal performance.
The UK Government’s
commitment to an 80% reduction by 2050 from 1990
levels means that efforts to
improve the energy efficiency of our existing buildings
are intensifying. However,
increasing the thermal
resistance of masonry and
especially traditional solid
walls can be problematic. Cladding systems and
cavity wall insulation can
create their own building
problems. This is not just an
aesthetic concern; changing
balances between heat, air
and moisture movement
may also affect the integrity
of a building and the health
of its occupants.
“PROSHIELD™ can improve the thermal efficiency
by reducing penetrating
water and water vapour
within the building structure, without expensive and
feature changing additions.
Applying PROSHIELD™ to
masonry prior to conservatory installations can also
help reduce unnecessary
call backs with water tracking issues.
“Rapierstar has undertaken
extensive research and testing, proving PROSHIELD™
effectiveness and longevity
when applied to a range of
masonry block constructions and can offer a 25 year
warranty of performance.
“