Architectural sustainability means long-term savings

Given the strong impact of man on the environment, being one of their strongest incursions architecture, it is preferable to minimize its effects. To discuss this, met in Madrid to the head of the FasteningSystems Division of SFS Intec, Beat Fiechter, to the Spain delegate of Alcoa Architectral Products, Frederic Mignon, and to the architect and head of photovoltaic systems of Corus SLU, Marcello Ranieri.

The seminar, hosted by Alejandra Delgado, of choirs, and overseen by the Marketing Manager of this company, Joachim Wolke, began with the intervention of Beat Fiechter, who stepped in to talk about the reliability of fixations for durability of architectural constructions. He explained that corrosion is one of the main problems of the building and that it frequently occurs in our country because of the use of cheap materials. Fiechter strongly recommended the use of stainless steel materials in the construction, that despite having a higher price, are in the long term more economical.

This occurs because of the maintenance. Bad materials, cheaper, involve in turn increased spending on repairs, usually in a short period of time, because of the corrosion cause a usually get from one to two years. Fiechter recalled that stainless materials, on the other hand, are more durable, avoid damage to the environment and do not require a very long maintenance.

Beat Fiechter culminated its participation reminding those present that the combination of good components is necessary for energy savings, as well as collaboration between manufacturers, architects, designers and investors. Only in this way, he said, may be a sustainable architecture. He also admitted the difficulty that this occurs, but not wanted to give up the idea, in spite of this arguing that it should aim to do so, step by step walk every day.

The next to intervene was Frederic Mignon, delegate Spain Alcoa, who began his show talking strategy 2020 your company's sustainability. Alcoa has received in recent years a total of 30 awards for sustainability, among 'The most sustainable company' or 'Most ethical company in the World 2008'. Mignon recalled that the company that represents has made an investment of EUR 4 million to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in their factories, as well as highlight the recycling of aluminum.

Precisely in this material are Reynobond and Reynolux, two products that Alcoa manufactures and Frederic Mignon presented during much of its exposure. Defined them as metal plates of high resistance to corrosion and the ultraviolet, ideals therefore for a sustainable construction for nature. Mignon, continuing the teleshopping in which these acts are often converted, he stressed the advantages of the use of ventilated facades and aluminum in the construction, given the latter is 100% recyclable.

Finally, Marcello Ranieri, architect and head of photovoltaic systems of Corus SLU, spoke in his speech of the 'aesthetics and functionality in sustainable architecture'. With humility, Ranieri began recognizing that "perhaps we are not the more sustainable, but at least we tried", about his company claim that we do not know if it was intended to 30 Alcoa awards or non-existent efforts that make many of the companies in the market.

However, Ranieri noted that Corus uses aluminium because of its high level of recycling and because it is common, lightweight, long lasting and requires no maintenance. This company makes the so-called Kalzip system (Kaiser Aluminium + Zipping), which is performed in the play, and thus reduce the consumption of gasoline which means the transportation of materials.

Ranieri stressed that aluminum alloys that are 100 percent recyclable, minimized the losses of energy in buildings and, thus, help to heat and sound insulation. Among other works, Corus was in charge of the wavy roofs of the T-4 of Barajas airport.