Products from AluK (GB), a leading aluminium window, door and curtain walling systems manufacturer, were supplied for the construction of the Tata Steel stores facility, apprentice training centre and visitor and heritage centre in Port Talbot, Wales.
Recommended by Powell Dobson Architects in collaboration with Dawnus Construction Contractor for the project, AluK windows, doors and curtain walling systems were installed in the award-winning project to enable a fully integrated scheme.
“Our brief was to deliver high-quality and visually attractive facilities to a tight timescale and budget, while gaining significant social and environmental benefits”, says Peter Savill, Project Architect at Powell Dobson.
“The technical excellence of the thermally broken AluK systems, together with their aesthetic qualities, provided us with an ideal solution to help us achieve our BREEAM Outstanding target.”
Combining design flexibility with functionality, the SG52 and SL52 Curtain Walling Systems were fitted in the Tata Steel stores building (SG52 and SL52), training centre (SG52 and SL52) as well as the visitor centre (SG52). Both systems are available in any RAL colour, enabling specifiers to create impressive continual expanses of glass façades that provide the performance needed to meet and exceed current standards.
Powell Dobson Architects were looking for a company that would be able to fulfil the project requirements, not only in terms of the functionality, high quality and aesthetics of the systems supplied, but also in terms of service offering. Peter Savill goes on to say: “We’ve previously worked with AluK on the Tenby Water’s Edge development, which included specific weather testing. It was of the utmost importance to us that AluK was able to provide comprehensive testing, ensuring that the systems were fit for purpose and answered the needs of the Tata Steel project.”
AluK's South Wales testing facility is the only of its kind operated by an aluminium systems manufacturer in the UK, allowing the company to develop and test bespoke solutions quickly and effectively. Furthermore, the company provides a range of services such as thermal calculations, modelling, sampling or onsite advice to support specifiers in delivering outstanding projects.
"Whether offering their technical expertise, being present on site to oversee the quality of the building or recommending an installer the AluK team supported us from the pre-planning stage and throughout the project's construction." adds Savill.
Another key factor when choosing systems for the Tata Steel facilities was the final security of the premises. All the AluK window and door systems installed in the project, including 72BD Door System for the escape doors, GT55 NI Door System for the entrance doors and 72BW Window System for the entrance lobby, are certified under the 'Secured by Design' scheme.
AluK is one of a few UK manufacturers whose products are certified under the 'Secured by Design’ scheme operated by the Association of Chief Police Officers. AluK systems are tested to many levels of security: from opportunistic attack covered by PAS 24:2012, to higher levels of attack by organised crime covered by LPS 1175:SR2. Combined with the inherent strength of aluminium, AluK door and window systems are some of the most secure available on the market.
"Tata Steel was a fantastic project and we are very excited that our door, window and curtain walling systems were specified in the first multiple building site to attain BREEAM "Outstanding" in Wales," says Russell Yates, Managing Director, AluK (GB) Ltd."
The Tata Steel project is also a Constructing Excellence pilot site, which will be utilised as an exemplar scheme in Wales. The project has won the 2013 Sustainability Award (LABC South Wales Building Excellence Awards) as well as the 2013 Innovation Award (Construction Excellence Wales Awards).
