At Aluflor America, innovation and technology drive everything we do. From cutting-edge facade systems to intelligent glass technologies, we are constantly redefining what is possible in modern architecture. Our designs seamlessly integrate advanced engineering with sustainable materials, ensuring that every project not only meets but exceeds industry standards for performance, energy efficiency, and durability.
The Monte Rosa Hut.
A self-sufficient building in the heart of the Alpine mountain range Hut awarded Minergie P – Certificate VS-013-P certification.
• Primary energy consumption <30 kW/hr/m²
The unique architecture of the new Monte Rosa hut resembles a crystal covered with a metal shell and integrated photovoltaic panels decorated with a glass band that spirals down like a pearl necklace. The band represents a specific element and traces the route of the staircase inside the building.
The Monte Rosa embodies the strategy of research in the domain of energy practised at ETH Zurich, which takes the imminent problems associated with climate change and the wasting of natural resources very seriously. Whilst the methodology is based on the three features of Efficiency, Renewable Energy and Electrification, the hut is practically self-sufficient.
Water is produced from melted snow stored in a 200 cubic meter cavern dug 40m above the hut in the rock. The natural slope guarantees the required pressure without the need to install an energy-fuelled pump.
A certified Minergie-P building
Wastewater treated at an internal treatment plant is used, after the settling process, to supply the water sluices.Electricity is produced by 100 photovoltaic modules integrated into the 122sqm WICTEC 50 (bonded structural glazing appearance) aluminium facade. This production covers 90% of the hut’s electricity requirements. The remaining 10% is generated by 24 high performance solar collectors to provide hot water.
Energy efficiency buildings are crucial for the biggest challenge of our time: reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions. Curbing carbon emissions is a global issue and vital for the health of our planet, and has already become a problem for most developed countries. European and international political organizations have taken a series of measures by establishing a set of guidelines in order to reduce energy consumption in buildings by 20% before 2020, consequently drastically reducing carbon emissions.
In the EU, only public buildings from constructed from 2018 and private buildings after 2020 will be allowed to be built with zero energy consumption (Zeb). Zeb are residential or commercial buildings with construction technology for maximum energy savings with the capacity to produce energy from renewable sources in order to meet its needs. In these buildings, energy consumption is zero, and any unused energy produced by photovoltaic systems can be stored for further use, or distributed as a resource for the community. The main role for the certification of a building with zero energy consumption is based on the functionality and features of the implemented façade. These envelopments produce thermal insulation and clean solar energy through photovoltaic systems. Many years of research of scientific and technological experiments in laboratories, experience led by German expertise in the construction industry, has lead to the development of this sector’s best façade products, creating today’s most advanced buildings. Thanks to Aluflor, this superior technology is now available in Albania.
Advantages:
TEmotion® intelligent façade, a concept invented and patented by leading German class company Wicona, is a glass facade system which combines the elements of the most advanced technology used in building facades today. This glass facade reacts to the change in the environment and other external factors, such as light and temperature in order to regulate the internal climate and reduce operational costs for both the user and the building. TEmotion® control system integrates ventilation technology for air conditioning and heating by regulating the amount of the sun light’s radiation entrance in the internal environment to prevent over-heating. At the same time, TEmotion® allows a converse means of control over the windows shadowing to allow more light to enter indirectly. By this process of automatic opening and closing of facade elements, the system occasionally allows the entrance of fresh air at night, therefore significantly reducing the costs of cooling for the building. The system also enables the production of electricity to be utilized by the building via photovoltaic elements integrated in the façade surface.
Advantages of Intelligent facade TEmotion:
Wicona test centre is one of the most advanced and one of the first energy neutral industrial buildings in Europe for intelligent building solutions and opens a window to energy –efficient future for buildings. Wicona test centre was built using the latest energy efficient details to minimize power consumption, like rooftop solar panels and the automated management of light and heat.
The test centre is designed to be highly energy efficient and sustainable, consuming only 23kWh/m2a of energy for heat and light – around the same as a standard passive house. In its first year of operation the Euro 3.5M centre for Wicona’s facade products, in Bellenberg, Germany, has shown exceptional energy results. The new dedicated test centre for Wicona’s façade products has generated 60 per cent more electricity than it needs for its own consumption.
A key factor in helping to reduce the energy consumption of the building was the choice of façade, which is highly glazed to allow most of the product testing to be carried out without the need for artificial lighting. In addition, the centre allows new WICONA products and project-specific façade solutions to be tested in-house and provide the opportunity to pre-test and pre-certify new systems more efficiently and at an earlier stage and independently certified to the latest European standards
HT Coating from Deutsche Steinzeug, Agro Butchtal sets a totally new standard in all aspects of cleanliness and hygiene due to its remarkable innovation and superior quality design. HT is a unique tile coating which is burnt into the ceramic surface, and as a result offers special economic and ecological advantages. The photocatalytic effects leads to the activation of oxygen in the atmosphere and destruction of bacteria. Apart from the fact that HT coating offers unlimited design possibilities and unique product characteristics, HT-coated tiles are extremely effective against bacteria, dirt and odors. At the same time, tiles can be kept easily clean by reducing the cleaning agents and the maintenance cost and increasing environmental protection.
Advantages of HT Coating
Led Facade is a glass facade with a LED integrated display which broadcasts maximum quality video for commercial purposes, bringing a unique combination of modern architecture and marketing with high energy-saving parameters. This brand new technique has ultra-saving properties for low power transmission and is the only system that allows natural light throughout the building premises. This system has a very low operating cost, and can be easily managed through a mobile phone or computer application allowing easy access of control over the system from any place around the world, only requirement is to have Internet connection. Modern buildings with glass façades employ this technology in order to transform the outer facade of their building in a very profitable advertising tool without losing any feature, advantage nor benefit for the domestic facilities.
Aluflor brings this complex and very special technology to ambitious designers and investors who wish to challenge and overcome the limits of fantasy in designing and benefit.
Advantages of LED facade: