KAWNEER UK LTD
ASTMOOR ROAD
ASTMOOR INDUSTRIAL ESTATE
RUNCORN
CHESHIRE WA7 1QQ
Tel: 01928 502500
Fax: kawneerAST@arconic.com
Suppliers of: Aluminium Curtain Wall, Unitised Systems, Entrance Doors, Windows, Folding Sliding Doors, Curtain Walling, Rooflights, Skylights, Glass Facades, Glass Doors, Patio Doors
Kawneer are a leading UK supplier of Architectural Aluminium Glazing Systems.
Kawneer manufacture an extensive range of products suitable for use in a variety of market sectors, including, Education, Healthcare, Commercial, Residential, Arts & Leisure and can also supply bespoke solutions. Kawneer products are extensively tested to comply with both EU and UK regulations.
Request your free copy of our Architects Guide to Aluminium in Building: Click here
Kawneer Curtain Walling:
The AA®100 Curtain Wall is available as a standard 50mm system, or for increased loads and movement, our AA®110 65mm system, now further developed to allow up to +/- 15mm building movement. By providing a unique dry jointed facade solution both systems can be installed as fully capped, horizontal capped or vertical capped. The AA®100 SSG system allows glazing of the curtain walling to be achieved without the use of conventional pressure plate and face caps, or for increased loads and movement, our AA®110 SSG system, now further developed to allow up to +/- 5mm building movement. The AA®100 and AA®110 CV is available as a top hung vent or parallel opening window, allowing flexibility and freedom to maintain flush seamless visuals externally, with no visible aluminium framing. For Fire Resistance, the AA®100/AA®110 FR is designed as a stick curtain wall assembly offering 30 minutes insulation and integrity.
Kawneer Curtain Walling - Unitised Systems
AA®201 Unitised Curtain Wall is a structurally glazed system along with our AA®265 Unitised System, a dry glazed solution incorporating a 3-chamber system and overlapping gasket design for optimum weathertightness. Both systems give the building team a unique set of benefits, including, factory fabrication to ensure additional quality control, rapid onsite installation as well as slimline design and flexibility.
Kawneer Windows
The AA®720 series corresponds to the BRE Global Green Guide online generic specification for windows and achieves a summary rating of A*. The windows are a 72mm profile incorporating the very latest thermal technology and meet the latest European requirements for thermal performance. Glazing and panels up to 56mm thickness can be accommodated enabling the use of triple glazing. The range consists of the AA®720 Casement, the AA®720 SL Slimline Casement designed with narrow frame sightlines to achieve a modern aesthetic look available in two styles, one offering a cost effective and robust solution for the Education Sector and the second a unique double flush external and internal aesthetic for the Home Improvement sector, the AA®720 Pivot, the AA®720 Tilturn and the AA®720 Parallel Opening. AA®720 FR consists of Door and Fixed Light variants offering 30 minutes insulation and integrity.
The AA®541 Casement corresponds to the BRE Global Green Guide online generic specification for windows and achieves a summary rating of A+**, and is designed to offer optimum weather and thermal performance at a competitive price.
The GT70 Slimline Renovation Window is an elegant aluminium fenestration solution designed specifically to replicate the appearance of steel windows.
The AA®720 Juliet Balcony is designed to suite with Kawneer’s AA®720 Open-In-Window and provides a simple, elegant and affordable glazed balcony with virtually seamless external visual appearance.
Kawneer Sliding Solutions
Kawneer also supplies an extensive range of window and door sliding solutions which includes a AA®3110 Horizontal Sliding Window & Door, Mental Healthcare Window Systems, the AA®3610 Vertical Sliding Window and the AA®3610LS Window, a unique solution which opens the top and bottom sashes simultaneously for improved ventilation
The AA®3720 Folding/Sliding Door, AA®3572 Lift/Slide Door and AA®4110 Lift/Slide and Sliding Patio Door systems have been developed as solutions for projects that demand the highest levels of thermal and weathering performance. The AA®3720 is equally suited to the discerning home owner or installed in commercial premises that wish to enhance the environment whilst the AA®3572 is an ideal space saving solution where safety is a consideration and projecting swing doors are undesirable, with the AA®4110 a cost-effective system ideal for both residential and light commercial applications.
Kawneer Entrance Doors & Framing
AA®190 TB is a severe-duty, all-purpose, themally broken, welded, commercial entrance Door for use in high traffice areas and automatic entrances. It’s robust construction means that it is suitable for use in heavy/severe applications and can be installed with a finger guard pivot stile. Kawneer offers two Swing Doors both single action open-in or open-out with the AA®545 designed to offer optimum weather and thermal performance at a competitive price. The AA®720 Series Door systems are available in two levels of thermal performance to enable flexibility of design, performance and cost. The AA®720 FR consists of Door and Fixed Light variants offering 30 minute insulation and integrity.
The thermally efficient 451PT Framing system is suitable for ground and first floor applications, combining thermal performance with product aesthetics and is suitable for use on commercial projects in the public sector and is also ideal for large display windows in the retail sector.
* www.thegreenguide.org.uk Element Number 1231500007
** www.thegreenguide.org.uk Element Number 1231500011
Further technical information is available in the BPi download library or on the Kawneer website.
Kawneer UK - What is Curtain Walling?
With its unique blend of aesthetic and functional advantages, a curtain wall facade is a key element in modern building design. But what is curtain walling and how has it attained its worldwide popularity on the widest possible range of projects across all sectors?
This guide will give you an overview of the definition of curtain walling, its variations, benefits and other considerations, helping you to choose the right option for your next project.
What is Curtain Walling?
A curtain wall is a lightweight, non-structural exterior wall system, typically made from glass, aluminium and a range of other materials.
Its primary function is to protect a structure from external elements, simultaneously optimising aesthetics and visual appeal.
Curtain wall facades are not load-bearing and are secured to the building’s exterior structure, providing building envelope enclosure.
Because they are designed to span multiple floors, curtain walls will not only support their own weight but also accommodate building movement, due to factors such as thermal expansion and contraction, dead loads, live loads, wind and other imposed loads.
A curtain wall system efficiently manages weather using either a zone or mullion drainage system.
Zone drained: Each panel is individually pressure equalised and drained via its transom, enabling the curtain wall to quickly react to fluctuating wind pressure.
Mullion drained: Suitable for slope glazing, mullion (or point) drainage systems feature overlapping joints.
Types of Curtain Wall Systems
There are a range of system options, depending on design, construction and installation considerations.
Stick-Built Curtain Wall System (Standard)
Pros
• On-site assembly and easily adjustable during installation.
• Customisable and adaptable for a range of architectural designs.
• A vast range of shapes, sizes, sightlines, infills and additional design elements, including fins.
• Cost-effective.
Cons
• Site assembly can lead to longer installation.
• Poor weather can slow site progress.
• Tight quality controls necessary throughout the assembly process.
Unitised Curtain Wall System
Pros
• Factory prefabricated, including glazing, ready for on-site installation.
• Consistent quality of the facade due to factory quality controls.
• An ideal choice for high rise buildings.
• Accommodates increased building movement and heavier infills.
Cons
• Higher cost than site-assembled stick-built systems.
• Specific logistical challenges with transport and installation.
• Care required to precisely align units and interface with other building features.
Structural Silicone Glazed Curtain Wall System
Pros
• Seamless and uninterrupted panes of glass.
• Optimal aesthetics.
• Thermally efficient.
Cons
• Limited vent options.
• Lower building movement tolerances.
• High cost.
Concealed Vent Curtain Wall System
Pros
• No visible framing.
• Allow for natural ventilation, whilst maintaining aesthetics.
• Motorised or manual operation.
Cons
• High cost.
• Requires precise engineering and installation.
• Demands a stringent maintenance schedule.
Fire Resistant Curtain Wall System
The pros and cons of fire resistant façades are determined by the specific application demands. These systems provide increased safety and compliance with regulations, designed to slow the spread of fire. They are also able to incorporate automatic smoke vents and panic opening doors to assist with the safe evacuation of occupants.
Blast Enhanced Curtain Wall System
A blast enhanced system mitigates blast loads created by accidental or intentional explosions. It is designed to minimise structural damage to the building, providing a ‘shield’ in contrast to an ‘envelope’. Blast mitigated curtain walls are often specified for military installations and high-risk public use buildings, including stadiums, event venues and hotels.
Key Benefits of Curtain Walls
Aesthetics and Design Flexibility
Some of the world’s most architecturally striking buildings use curtain walling. It’s hugely popular with designers, due to its ability to provide an attractive seamless façade and be configured in unusual shapes, including curves.
Energy Efficiency
Curtain walls offer vast potential for energy efficiency, facilitating the use of high performance low-emissivity glazing (Low-E), reducing heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer. Advanced thermal break technologies and high-performance sealants, all contribute to reducing energy costs, usage and lowering U values.
Weather Protection
A curtain wall forms an exceptionally capable barrier against wind, rain and temperature extremes. It also offers highly effective rainwater drainage with no ingress to the building.
Structural Advantages
Although they are not load bearing, curtain walls enhance a building’s resistance to the elements, ability to cope with various loads and thermal expansion and contraction. Recent market-leading Kawneer expansion joint innovations have focused on dealing with more extreme levels of building movement (+/- 15mm). Find out more here.
Curtain walling additionally affords a lighter structure than many other facade options, making it especially appropriate for high-rise buildings.
Natural Lighting
The health, well-being and energy saving advantages of high levels of natural lighting are now widely recognised in building design. Curtain walling is arguably the most practical, cost-effective and attractive way of achieving a successful daylighting strategy.
Sustainability
Aluminium’s infinite recyclability gives it many advantages compared to alternative materials. Our Iow carbon billet includes 75% recycled material and features less than 3.0kg of C02 per kilogram of aluminium. Our billets are sourced locally, to help minimise the environmental impact of our logistics, handling and transportation operations. Read more about Kawneer’s BALANCE comprehensive approach to sustainable methods and practices.
Your Next Façade Project
Now you know what a curtain wall is, the different types of systems available, key benefits and considerations, you can better weigh up what solution will be perfect for your project. Kawneer’s Architectural Advisor Team are available to support you.
Kawneer Helps to Elevate the Office Experience in Greater London
VISION
Explore, formerly known as Eton House, in Richmond, London is a completely reimagined CAT A refurbishment project for Barwood Capital with an additional fourth floor rooftop extension, creating a totally transformed building offering 45,000 sq ft of destination office space.
Located within Richmond’s green and spacious conservation area, the project delivers exceptional amenities and a sustainable, energy efficient workplace environment, featuring embedded passive design principles. It is rated BREEAM Outstanding and EPC Rating A.
Explore has been totally reconfigured to appeal to businesses looking to make an impression in a light, airy and free flowing facility.
Project architects were Darlings Associates and main contractor was RED Construction Group Ltd.
TRANSFORMATION
Approved specialist subcontractor JPJ Installations Ltd provided a high-performance, energy-efficient curtain wall, using Kawneer’s AA®110 Curtain Wall System for a range of screens spanning from ground floor to Level 3 and for the panoramic Level 4 full-height curtain wall with bespoke ceramic infil panels at columns, accommodating building movement/tolerance.
They also fitted Kawneer’s AA®720 Series Doors in a double door configuration for Level 4 terrace doors and Level 3 inset balcony doors, offering excellent thermal and weather performance.
AA®190 TB Heavy-Duty Entrance Doors were selected for the high traffic main entrance, stair cores and fire escape areas, due to their robust nature and sleek design.
JPJ also installed solar control glass for energy efficiency and acoustic performance and a neutral appearance.
REALISATION
Opened in the late summer of 2024, Explore is now offering a best-in-class occupational experience with new facilities that include 4200 sq ft of private landscaped ground floor gardens, a top floor terrace, a business lounge, gym, cycle store and ten electric car charging points, with digital connectivity attaining the WiredScore Gold certification.
Offering a net gain in biodiversity and urban greening, the building’s water consumption strategy reduces potable water demand and attenuates storm water run-off.
All electric heating and cooling HVAC is achieved with no fossil fuels on site.
Photos: Gary Britton Photography
For further information, please contact:
Kawneer UK Limited
Astmoor Road
Astmoor Industrial Estate
Runcorn, Cheshire
WA7 1QQ
T + 44 (0)1928 502500
E: KawneerAST@arconic.com
