C u r t a i n Wa l l S y s t e m s

www.kawneer.co.uk
Kawneer UK Ltd
Astmoor Road, Astmoor Industrial Estate
Runcorn, Cheshire WA7 1QQ, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1928 502500 Email: kuk.kawneer@alcoa.com

Kawneers continuous development and engineering programmes may bring about product changes. Kawneer
reserves the right to introduce without notice such changes which will not detract from the products performance.
KAWNEER UK LTD

June 2007

Capital City Academy

Foster & Partners

Contents

Introduction

Curtain Wall Systems

AA100 50mm Curtain Wall

AA110 65mm Curtain Wall

10

PF Curtain Wall

12

AA120 Sunshades

13

AA201 Unitised Curtain Wall

14

Curtain Wall Case Study Marine Operations Centre

16

Supporting Your Projects

18

Glasgow Harbour
Cooper Cromar Architects

Introduction

Kawneer,
a global systems company
Kawneer offers a comprehensive range of
architectural aluminium building products and
systems for commercial constructionentrances, framing systems, windows and
curtain wall systems.
Since its beginnings a century ago, Kawneer
has been recognized as an innovator. Through
the years, we've balanced experience with
innovation. We've listened to our customers,
and we are dedicated to providing the tools
our customers need to succeed.
Our unrivalled team has a wealth of
experience working closely with architects,
contractors and clients to develop project
solutions from their earliest concepts. We are
committed to injecting innovation into new
product development to ensure our products
meet the most exacting engineering and
technical standards whilst overcoming
sophisticated design challenges. Kawneers
global design expertise, combined with
aluminium's flexibility and recyclability, makes
our building systems and products the right
solutions for today and tomorrow.

Committed to the success

of your project
Kawneer products are made from materials
of the highest quality and designed with
the benefit of many years of construction
experience. Because we control every stage
of the process, from mining the bauxite ore
through to designing individual systems,
we offer a unique resource to architects and
contractors. Our engineers and designers
can support you through every stage of the
design and installation process, ensuring
a successful outcome.

Need something special?

Kawneer offers the worlds greatest pool
of talent in architectural glazing systems, and
we can design custom solutions that will
help you to realise your most daring
concepts. So dont compromise - by working
with Kawneer you can achieve a solution to
your most challenging architectural concept.

Total Performance
High performance is an essential ingredient
for all building components nowadays it
is demanded by users and required by
current building regulations. Throughout our
history we have kept ahead of both the
market and regulatory requirements to offer
glazing solutions that surpass even the most
demanding specifications, and our products
meet or exceed all required standards of
thermal performance. We have developed
leading-edge production techniques to
ensure that manufacturing efficiency is
optimised, and environmental impact is
minimised, and our right-first-time quality
management systems have been devised to
minimise waste and exceed the requirements
of current ISO 9001 standards.

Why Aluminium?
Kawneer has been producing advanced
glazing solutions in this versatile material for
many decades. Aluminium is a near-perfect
material for architectural glazing products,
and has practical advantages over all other
available choices, including inherent
resistance to corrosion and very low wholelife costs. Aluminium is also an
environmentally friendly material and possibly
one of the best options for energy saving
within the construction industry. In the
building sector vast amounts of aluminium
are collected for recycling, with rates as high
as 92-98%, and more than 50% of the energy
used in aluminium production comes from
hydro-electric schemes.

Curtain Wall Systems

Introduction
Todays fast paced construction schedules
demand it all design innovation, flexibility,
high quality, fast installation, simplified
fabrication and superior performance.
Kawneers curtain wall systems have been
designed and engineered to meet these
demands and more. Our curtain wall systems
have been assessed in accordance with the
relevant BS EN and Centre for Window and
Cladding Technology (CWCT) Curtain Wall
Standards.

Kawneer AA100 50mm Curtain Wall

The AA100 50mm Curtain Wall system
provides a unique dry jointed faade solution
that has been developed to provide the
specifier with opportunities to design original

and exciting faades. The system is available

in a variety of styles and is suitable for vertical
and sloped applications including facetted
walls. To provide complete design flexibility
the AA100 is also available as a Horizontally
Capped system, a Structurally Silicone Glazed
system and a Fire Resistant system.
The AA100 has a range of mullion, transom
and facecap options, with 50mm sightlines.

Kawneer AA110 65mm Curtain Wall

The AA110 65mm Curtain Wall system also
provides a dry jointed faade solution, and
the range of mullion, transom and facecap
options provide 65mm sightlines. The system
is available in a variety of styles and is suitable
for vertical applications and facetted walls.

A deeper glazing rebate meets the

requirements for barrier loading and enables
the facade to stand up to high levels of
building movement.

Kawneer PF Curtain Wall

The Kawneer PF System is a mullion drained
modular curtain wall system, which has been
designed so that when viewed externally, the
opening vents and the fixed lights have the
same visual appearance. The PF is a modular
system with factory glazed panellised frames
that are fixed to the curtain wall grid.
All this makes the PF System an attractive and
practical option for many curtain walling
requirements.

Kawneer AA120 Sunshades

The AA120 Sunshades system has been
designed specifically for use with the AA100

and AA110 Curtain Wall systems and offers

the specifier a wide choice in terms of size and
shape of shades to suit individual project
needs. The AA120 Sunshades system allows
passive solar control for the faade of the
building and can be connected to the faade
either horizontally or vertically.

Kawneer AA201 Unitised Curtain Wall

Our modular faade solution, AA201 Unitised
Curtain Wall, is a highly innovative concept
that has already been proven on a number of
projects in the UK and Ireland. Unitised curtain
walling is modular the individual units or
panels are assembled off site in factory
controlled conditions and then transported to
site and craned onto the building. This
dramatically reduces time on site, and thus the
building can be enclosed rapidly allowing
hand-over to following trades to take place
much sooner.

Oxford Business Park

Aukett Europe

Centipedes, Heerlen
Atelier Dutch

AA100 50mm Curtain Wall

Introduction
H11 110

2004/33, 2005/18
2007/26, 2007/27

Kawneer AA 100 redefines curtain walling

offering a wide range of design options from
a single grid. It is a tried and tested system originally designed in Europe to European
standards and now adapted and tested to
meet the stringent UK market requirements.
Available in both zone and mullion drained
options, the AA100 50mm curtain wall
system provides an innovative dry jointed
faade solution that does not need on-site
sealants to ensure system performance.

The AA100 has been designed to provide

the specifier with a wide choice of design
options according to the needs of the project.
By offering a range of construction methods
and a structural silicone glazed option, the
AA100 enables specifiers, assisted by our
Architectural Advisers, to identify the
optimum curtain walling solutions for the
projects specific requirements.

Product Features

With the decisive

advantage of

AA100/AA110 Zone & Mullion Drained

z Dry jointed system

z Suited to vertical, sloped (from 7, with

slope vent) and facetted applications
AA100/AA110HC

z Concealed Zone drainage and Mullion

drainage options
z Tested & Certified in accordance with
the relevant BS EN & CWCT Curtain Wall
Standards

AA 100/AA 110PFLL

z Proven weathering performance in the

most stringent conditions
z Provides choice of aesthetics when
designing the building faade

z Range of mullion, transom and facecap

options with 50mm sightlines

z Fire Rated option

z PFLL capped system

Performance

z Fully capped option

The system, installed and glazed to Kawneer

recommended procedures, has been tested
and certified in accordance with the relevant
BS EN and Centre for Window and Cladding
Technology (CWCT) Curtain Wall Standards.

z Horizontal cap
z Offers total flexibility - shares components
with AA110 curtain wall system
z Suites with AA120 Sunshades
z Available with a concealed open out vent

z Wide range of applications from the

same suite of sections

z Complies with all current thermal

regulations

z SSG option

AA100/AA110SSG

z Removes reliance upon on-site sealing

and ensures excellent weathering
performance

Air Permeability 600Pa

Watertightness (static & dynamic): 600Pa
Wind Resistance (serviceability): 2400Pa
Wind Resistance (safety): 3600Pa

z Accommodates glass from 4mm to 40mm

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9

Operations
Marine
C U R TA
I N W ACentre,
L L S YAberdeen
STEMS
SMC Parr Architects

AA110 65mm Curtain Wall

Introduction
H11 110

The AA 110 curtain wall system has been

designed in line with the AA100 system, the
fundamental difference is the depth of the
mullions and transoms. The AA 110 65mm
system with its deeper glazing rebate meets the
requirements for barrier loading and enables
the facade to stand up to high levels of building
movement. It is also a tried and tested system

- originally designed in Europe, and is suitable

for vertical applications including facetted walls.
As with the AA100 system, the AA110 also
offers a range of construction methods,
including zone-drainage and mullion-drainage.
The AA110 enables architects, assisted by our
Architectural Advisers, to identify the optimum
curtain walling solutions and create inspirational
architectural designs.

2004/33, 2005/18
2007/26, 2007/27

AA100/AA110 Zone & Mullion Drained

Product Features
z Dry jointed system
AA100/AA110HC

AA 100/AA 110PFLL

z Suited to vertical, sloped and facetted

applications

With the decisive

advantage of

z Removes the need for on-site sealing and

ensures excellent weathering performance

z Concealed Zone drainage and Mullion

drainage options

z Wide range of applications from the same

suite of sections

z Assessed in accordance with the CWCT

Curtain Wall Standard

z Proven weathering performance in the most

stringent conditions

z Complies with all current thermal

regulations

z Provides choice of aesthetics when

designing the building faade

z Range of mullion, transom and facecap

options with 65mm sightlines

Performance

z PFLL capped system

z Fully capped option
z SSG option
z Horizontal cap

The system, installed and glazed to Kawneer

recommended procedures, has been assessed
in accordance with the Centre for Window and
Cladding Technology (CWCT) Curtain Wall
Standard.

z Offers total flexibility - shares components

with AA100 curtain wall system
AA100/AA110SSG

z Suites with AA120 Sunshades

z Available with a concealed open out vent
z Accommodates glass from 4mm to 40mm

10

11

PF Curtain Wall

AA120 Sunshades

Introduction
H11 110

The PF System is a mullion drained modular

curtain wall system, which has been
designed so that, when viewed externally,
the opening vents and the fixed lights have
the same visual appearance.
The system consists of panellised frames that
are attached, as either fixed lights, opening
lights or panel areas, to the curtain wall
grids. Each glazed panel has a visible face
of 28mm in width which in combination with
a 14mm recess between the panels, gives an
overall sightline of 70mm. Alternatively, a

structurally glazed version of the system is

available, giving the facade an all glass
appearance when viewed from the outside,
with only a 14mm recessed gap between
each pane. This thermally insulated system
offers many possibilities, with a wide
selection of mullions and transoms to suit
most practical requirements.
All this makes the PF System an attractive
and practical option for many curtain walling
requirements.

The Station, Manchester Airport

Aedas, Jefferson Sheard Architects

Product Features

z Modular system with factory glazed

panellised frames that are fixed to the
curtain wall grid

and Nick Derbyshire Architects

ICARE, Montpellier
Blue Tango Architecture

Introduction
The Kawneer AA120 Sunshades add a
stunning design statement to the building
faade; they help to optimise the natural
daylight within a building whilst limiting the
solar heat gain. The AA120 Sunshades have
fixed aluminium blades, which are available in
a variety of shapes and sizes and suite with the
Kawneer Curtain Wall range.
Use of solar shading on building facades to
limit the buildings solar heat gain can
contribute to the thermal performance of the
building by:

z Reducing the energy consumption due to

air conditioning
z Allowing greater use of natural
ventilation
z Limiting direct solar radiation whilst
maintaining natural light levels
Our Technical Team and Architectural Advisers
can offer advice and support in calculating
potential energy savings derived from the use
of the AA120 Sunshades for your individual
projects.

z Available as a structurally glazed version,

with only a 14mm recess between panels
z Dry gasket glazing
z Tested in accordance with the CWCT
Curtain Wall Standard

With the decisive

advantage of

z Opening vents and fixed lights appear the

same visually, with no visible drainage
slots
z Allows the specifier to design faades
that appear all glass when viewed from
the outside
z Proven weathering performance in the
most stringent conditions

Glazing
Maximum glass thickness 34mm. For the
structurally glazed version of this system,
the maximum glass thickness is dependant on
various factors, which are specific for each
individual project. We advise therefore, that
you contact our Architectural Advisers for
more information.

12

Product Features

z Wide range of aluminium blade profiles to

suit a variety of requirements
z Integrates with Kawneer Curtain Wall
Systems
z The AA 120 Sunshades can be fitted
vertically or horizontally

z Bespoke sections and connections can be

designed according to project needs

With the decisive

advantage of

z Reduction in solar heat gain and allows

greater use of natural ventilation systems
z Control of solar glare, whilst maximizing
the amount of natural light reaching the
buildings internal environment
z Provides a stunning aesthetic statement
that unites the building faade
z Flexibility and choice according to
individual requirements

AA120 Sunshades

13

C U R TA I N W A L L S Y S T E M S
Lowry Hotel, Salford Quays
Consarc Consulting Architects

AA201 Unitised Curtain Wall

Introduction
H11 110

2005/19

Todays fast paced construction schedules demand

high performance, fast installation, simplified
fabrication, superior performance and design
flexibility. The AA201 offers exactly that.
It offers the advantage of unitised assembly giving
the building team a unique set of benefits. These
include factory fabrication to ensure additional
quality control, rapid on site installation with
slimline design and flexibility. Unitised construction
enables it to meet the demands of fast track work
schedules and restricted working conditions.
Weathering is achieved by zone drained pressure
equalisation. The glazing provides a positive
weather seal for high performance. The system
also features the exclusive, high performance
IsoPort thermal break.
The AA201 unitised system gives the specifier a

Product features

z Zone drainage each pane acts as an

individual self draining unit

The AA201 unitised curtain wall system has been

engineered to meet these demands and more.
Supplied on a project solution basis the AA201
has been exclusively designed, developed and
supplied by Kawneer, with installation contracts
undertaken in combination with authorised
installing Kawneer dealers.

With the decisive

advantage of

z Side load

z Particularly suitable for refurbishment

projects

z Stack joint

z Offers wide choice of aesthetics

z Fully drained and pressure equalised for

optimal weather performance

z The AA201 unitised curtain wall system

does not require scaffolding

z Lifting rail

z The units are craned or winched into

position and secured from the inside of
the building, reducing costs and
encouraging safer working conditions

z Dual finish capability

z The AA201 system accommodates glass
or infill panels up to 32mm
z Complies with all current thermal
regulations
z Fully capped option
z SSG option
z Horizontal cap option with vertical
silicone joint
z Vertical cap option with horizontal
silicone joint

AA201 Unitised

wide choice of styles to create individual and

exciting building facades. The AA201 can
accommodate spandrel infill materials including
glass, granite and metal panels. It offers two sided
or four sided structural silicone glazing, fully
capped or horizontal caps giving a horizontal
emphasis or a vertical cap option giving a vertical
emphasis. The AA201 unitised curtain wall
system is adaptable to any new construction
project, and because it can be quickly installed
in occupied buildings with minimal disturbance,
the system is ideal for refurbishment projects.

z Tested and Certified in accordance with

the relevant BS EN & CWCT Curtain Wall
Standards

Performance
The system, installed and glazed to Kawneer
recommended procedures, has been tested
and certified in accordance with the relevant
BS EN and Centre for Window and Cladding
Technology (CWCT) Curtain Wall Standards.
Air Permeability 600Pa
Watertightness (static & dynamic): 600Pa
Wind Resistance (serviceability): 2400Pa
Wind Resistance (safety): 3600Pa

z Range of mullion, transom & face cap

options with 64mm sightlines
z Seismic movement capability up to 41.25mm

14

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15

Curtain Wall Case Study

The Marine Operations Centre on Scotlands
windswept North Sea coast is situated just
two metres from the edge of the harbour
wall. The building has to withstand high
winds, cold winter temperatures and a wet,
salt-laden climate. And if that were not
enough, the faade was a complex, faceted
outward-sloping design.
The designers of this landmark building were
the Dundee office of SMC Parr Architects
who opted for a striking modern take on the
traditional Scottish lighthouse. The external
envelope is partly white reconstituted stone
but the greater part and the most exposed
part is a bespoke glazed curtain wall.
We had come up with a bold concept and it
was essential to progress the detailed design
with input from all parties the installer and

the supplier as well as Sir Robert McAlpine,

the main contractor, said project director
Derek Reid of SMC Parr Architects.
This teamwork, with Kawneers special
projects team supplying design drawings and
fabrication of the curtain wall, resulted in a
glazing solution that would accommodate the
architects challenging specification and
deliver the 270 visibility demanded by the
client, Aberdeen Harbour Board.
The complex shape, and the fact that the
wind-swept building would be subject to
higher-than-average building movements,
meant the curtain walling had to be flexible in
more ways than one. Not only did it need to
accommodate the curvature of the faade, it
had to be capable of flexing with the rest of
the structure.

The only solution was the Kawneer CWCT

approved AA110 curtain wall system.
One of the biggest challenges for todays
architects and building contractors is the
reconciliation of material interfaces. Whereas
in traditional build the interactions between
brick, mortar and timber are simple and
predictable, todays buildings incorporate a
far greater variety of materials that must be
joined without compromising overall building
performance.
The most basic interface and often one of
the most challenging is that between the
structural frame and the building envelope.
And the biggest headache for designers and
builders is how to cope with differential
movement.
The trend in prestige commercial
development today is very much towards
high-rise steel framed buildings with a fully
glazed curtain-wall faade and the pressure
is therefore on system manufacturers to rise
to the challenge.
Kawneers solution to the increase in building
movement has been to design and develop
a curtain-walling system in which each glazed
panel can move more freely to a specified
limit within its frame. The new AA110
system features a deeper 65mm box section
which adds about 7.5mm to the rebate
depth. This extra depth has two benefits:
firstly, there is enough depth to increase the
overlap between the aluminium frame and
the glazed unit, thereby meeting the
requirements for barrier loadings (that is, the
amount of lateral load the assembled system
can withstand) and secondly, it leaves
enough extra space between the frame and
the glass to permit movement within the
system.
50mm systems are still very much the
industry norm that contains the glass within a
20mm-deep rebate with standard glass cover
of 13mm.

17

Kawneers 50mm system, the AA100, is a

successful example of this. However, we
believe that is set to change with 65mm
curtain wall systems becoming the norm with
the industry moving more and more towards
lightweight structures and larger expanses of
clear glass. If the requirement is to
accommodate the inevitable building
movement, and deliver the necessary barrier
loadings, you simply wont be able to use a
50mm-wide box section.
The Marine Operations Centre is both an
iconic structure for Aberdeen and a
functional solution to the harbours practical
requirements. And although complex and
challenging, the design has already won the
building a Civic Trust Award and the
admiration of the architectural community.

Marine Operations Centre, Aberdeen

SMC Parr Architects

Princes Dock, Liverpool

Atherden Fuller Leng

Supporting Your Projects

Kawneer Permacover is a high quality polyester
powder paint finish, offering over 130 standard
and 31 metallic paint colours and providing
outstanding resistance to environmental
conditions. Kawneer Permacover has 15 year
gloss and a 25 year matt and metallic guarantees
subject to application and Kawneer acceptance
in marine, industrial, swimming pools or other
aggressive atmospheres.
Kawneer Permanodic is a range of subtle
co-ordinated colours which have been researched
and developed for architectural systems. Kawneer
Permanodic is a tried and tested anodising
process, proven in accelerated laboratory tests,
extensive field trials and contract experience.
Subject to compliance with Kawneers
requirements, a 25 year finishes guarantee can
be obtained from our Head Office.

Authorities
ISO 9001: 2000
Quality Management System
BS EN 12020
Extruded precision aluminium profiles
BS 3987
Specification for anodic coatings
BS 6496
Specification for powder organic coatings
BS 4255 Part 1
Specification for non-cellular gaskets
ASTM C509-94
Specification for cellular gaskets
BS EN 12152
Curtain Walling Air permeability
performance requirements and
classification
BS EN 12153
Curtain Walling Air permeability Test
method
BS EN 12154
Curtain Walling Watertightness
performance requirements and
classification
BS EN 12155
Curtain Walling WatertightnessLaboratory test under static pressure

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BS EN 12179
Curtain Walling Resistance to windload
test method
BS EN 13830
Curtain Walling Product standard
BS EN 13116
Curtain Walling Resistance to windload
performance requirements
BS 476-22 - Fire test on building materials
Pr EN 1364-3 - Fire Resistance

Technical Assistance
Kawneer's regionally based team of
Architectural Advisers and the
Architectural Support Team based at our
Head Office in Runcorn are able to
provide project advice and support:
Tel: 01928 502485 / Fax: 01928 502512
Email: kawneerAST@alcoa.com
Information on Kawneer's extensive range
of Curtain Wall, Window and Ground Floor
Treatment solutions can also be obtained
from our Head Office by calling:
Tel: 01928 502612
Kawneer UK Ltd is part of Alcoa Building and
Construction Systems, and enjoys the extensive
resources of the entire Alcoa organisation, allied to
the specific glazing systems experience of
Kawneers many operations around the world. As a
result of this our partners and customers have
direct access to one of the largest pools of
technical expertise in the construction industry.

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