REYNAERS Aluminium has achieved Passive House certification for its innovative CS 104 door with insulating panel and its CW 50-HI curtain-wall system, thus substantially increasing the top-of-the-range sustainable, energy-efficient architectural aluminium solutions it offers.

The certificates add further credibility to the European aluminium systems provider’s sound reputation as a developer of sustainable aluminium systems for energy-efficient, rather green buildings.

“These achievements should not be seen in isolation, but rather as a continuation along the route towards increasingly sustainable aluminium solutions for the building industry,” says Ali Khalaf, managing director of Reynaers Middle East, the regional office of the Belgium-based Reynaers Aluminium.

The certification of its CS 104 door with insulating panel as a passive house component was awarded by the reputable Passive House Institute, an independent research institute based in Darmstadt, Germany, under the leadership of Dr Wolfgang Feist. Besides the necessary thermal calculation, the CS 104 withstood a series of stringent tests at ift Rosenheim – a Germany-based certification body and research institute that performs testing of windows, curtain-walls, building materials and glass – before becoming the first aluminium door to obtain this certification, he states.

“With an insulation value, Ud, of 0.75 W per sq m K, this solution achieved an insulation value of 0.80 W per sq m K on the installed element. The air-tightness achieved a Class Four in all tested climates, while passive house certification regards Class Three as sufficient,” Khalaf explains.

Hammer Retex office building in Cham, Switzerland ... utilising the CS 77-HI HV System.

Meanwhile, the Reynaers’ CW 50-HI curtain wall system has been certified as suitable for passive house application by ift Rosenheim. As an internationally-accredited scientific testing institution, ift Rosenheim serves manufacturers of building components in various applications. These include windows, curtain-walls, industrial and commercial doors and gates and other accessories. It is authorised to issue test reports requested for CE marking as well as building supervisory test certificates, such as the testing of windows, curtain-walls and glass.

This certification requires an overall insulation value of a maximum of 0.7 W per sq m K using glass with Ug 0.7 W per sq m K and a panel with up to 0.25 W per sq m K. With the CW 50-HI profiles, the curtain-wall system achieved an overall insulation value of 0.66 W per sq m K.

Khalaf says that with the launch of the CS 104 window and door system, Reynaers has achieved unmatched insulation values for aluminium systems in the building industry, delivering high insulation values across vast glazed surfaces.

“This concept of superior energy efficiency, combined with optimal aesthetic applications offers architects the freedom to express their creative design potential fully and still adhere to the principles of passive housing. This sustainability aspect is furthermore supported by the exceptional levels of stability, low maintenance, non-corrosive nature and the almost 100 per cent recyclable value of its aluminium base,” he says.

Apart from this certification, Reynaers has also achieved recognition for its environment-focused efforts from Minergie, a registered Swiss quality label for new and refurbished low-energy-consumption buildings, for several of its products. These include:

The CS 86-HI balcony door section ... close-up view.

• The CP 155-LS/HI, a highly insulated sliding door system with Uw values of 1.0 W per sq m K. Without any loss of its perfect sliding functions, the design benefits from large, expansive glass surfaces combined with strong frames to allow architects and fabricators the freedom to work with innovative, energy-efficient and sustainable design alternatives, says Khalaf;

• The CS 77-HI for constructing windows with a high level of thermal insulation, featuring an optimum combination of safety and comfort;

• The CS 86-HV, the hidden vent variant of the multi-chamber system for windows and doors, which achieved Uw of 1.0 W per sq m K; and

• Its CS 86-HI (high insulation variant) using triple-insulated glass, which achieved the Minergie-P certificate with Uw of 0.75 W per sq m K. The CS 86-HI is an ideal solution for environmentally conscious architects, constructors and builders, he says. The system combines design, energy efficiency and safety standards to meet the latest technical requirements and building trends.

“Adopting the Passive House and Minergie concepts is a future-proof solution towards a cleaner, greener planet. For the architect, owner, fabricator and builder, the use of certified and tested Passive House-compliant material offers more comfort and eases the road towards this sustainability objective. They can rely on the quality of the certified products and save substantial time and costs by eliminating the calculations that are required to obtain building certifications,” explains Khalaf.

He adds that these developments are in line with Reynaers’ overall business strategy and its already reputable track record of investment in sustainable low-energy solutions and passive building. “These technologies will become increasingly important to the building sector as Reynaers leads the industry towards the ideal of a nearly zero-energy building for all of Europe by 2020. More innovation can be expected from them as 2020 approaches.”

Khalaf says Reynaers has adopted this strategy for all the right reasons. “It follows its declared intent and philosophy to continue innovating towards a greener planet and the objective of a zero-energy building – all while still following a healthy economical business model.”

Explaining the company’s philosophy with regard to sustainability, Erik Rasker, technology manager at Reynaers, says: “More than 40 per cent of the energy used within the European Union (EU) goes towards heating, cooling, lighting and managing the buildings in which we live and work. In order to meet current global climate change targets, we have to cut that figure by at least 60 per cent before 2050.

“We at Reynaers are uniquely positioned to reduce the environmental impact of new and existing buildings. Our window and door solutions, sliding doors and curtain-walls provide exceptional insulation. The latest two certifications just serve as further evidence of our vision and our commitment to a greener world in our lifetime.”

Reynaers Aluminium is one of Europe’s leading specialists in the development and marketing of innovative and sustainable architectural aluminium solutions for windows, doors, curtain-walling, sliding systems, sunscreening and conservatories.

The firm has acquired a strong market position in the 30 countries where it has its own sites. It exports to more than 60 countries in five continents. The company attributes its success to the close partnership with more than 5,000 partner fabricators, architects and project developers worldwide.