Few homes today are still single glazed, most have double glazing installed, so why consider changing them? The Council for Aluminium (CAB) has drafted a handy homeowner guide on how to determine when windows need to be replaced.

It has been a busy year for CAB in support of its membership and the wider industry and whilst there are challenges in the supply chain and looking forward into 2024, CAB membership continues to offer an excellent value proposition.

Fifteen years ago you could open any fenestration magazine and you would be introduced to windows, doors and conservatories all in PVC, aluminium product promotion in home improvement was few and far between. House builders at that time had adopted PVC as the fenestration product of choice which encouraged new home sales and, whilst aluminium fenestration was firmly rooted in the commercial field, high end properties in up-market desirable residential areas continued to use aluminium.

Aluminium framed residential doors are nothing new, they have been used in the home improvement industry for decades, often being supplied in pre-machined kits for assembly, but premium modern aluminium panel doors are now beginning to adorn properties across the UK, breaking away from the traditional timber style composite doors and breaking with the past.

Senior Architectural Systems, a leading UK manufacturer of aluminium fenestration solutions including doors, windows, and curtain walling, has become one of the first ever winners of the King’s Award for Enterprise.

We are seeing, on a more regular basis, buildings being constructed to meet ‘Passivhaus’ design, but what is it and how does it affect the new build and home improvement markets? Whilst it may be considered by some that this is just a concept for expensive new build, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The principles of the voluntary ‘Passive House’ designs are equally relevant to commercial construction and property refurbishment. Many architectural practices now have dedicated architects who are trained in the design philosophy by the UK’s Passivhaus Trust.

So what is Passivhaus and importantly, how is it going to affect our fenestration industry?

Aluminium has been used in commercial fenestration for over eighty years, the metal then became popular in the 1960’s for home improvement, replacing ageing timber windows. The advent of the PVC window revolution, the ‘white gold’ in the 1980’s virtually wiped out aluminium as a home improvement material within a decade. Initially more expensive than aluminium, PVC has now become the most widely used material for new home installations and home improvement projects.

There are some that think aluminium framed windows will not be able to meet the thermal demands of the upcoming changes to Document L of the building regulations. Whilst it’s fair to say that the proposed changes in 2025 do pose a challenge, not just for aluminium, membership feedback at our recent Spring Forum confirms that our systems company members are already prepared.