A warmer commercial
WarmCore is much more than just a premium domestic bi-folding door, explains Mark Frain, national business development manager for WarmCore. He explains that there is considerable opportunity in the commercial and new build housing sectors for warmer aluminium windows and doors.
Most people in the trade will have associated WarmCore with premium, highly energy efficient bi-folding doors, but it is in fact a totally integrated product platform for next generation windows and doors. There have already been some considerable success stories in the commercial sector too from the likes of Unique Window Systems.
The early success of WarmCore fuelled the development of a patio door, along with flush, casement and tilt and turn window variants, including a range of ancillaries. Now with the considerable resources of Kömmerling and Profine Group behind it, we’re looking to develop it as a global standard for aluminium/PVC-U hybrid windows and doors.
Irrespective of everyone’s political opinions, U-values will come down for windows and doors in the years to come and once the post-election fever has dampened somewhat, climate change will be back on the media agenda. WarmCore is a brand and product platform for the future, and we believe it’s the best possible solution where there’s a demand for an aluminium finish inside and out.
WarmCore also ticks the box from a sustainability perspective under the Kömmerling brand mantra of ‘Today for Tomorrow’ thanks to a recycled core and a plan to integrate recycled aluminium across all windows and doors within the product platform.
Based on the standard model referred to under BS EN 14351-1, WarmCore flush, casement and tilt and turn windows can achieve a U-value of 1.3 W/(m2K) with a standard double-glazed unit and 0.90 W/(m2K) with 44mm triple glazing.
This is achieved with dedicated glazing beads and all within an industry standard profile depth of 70mm. Given that typical aluminium systems only achieve a U-value of 1.6 W/(m2K) they are faced with having to add additional insulation materials, higher specification glass or to add material for a deeper frame profile.
WarmCore doors also provide impressive U-values with residential, French, balcony and patio doors all achieving 1.4 W/(m2K) double glazed and reaching 1.0 W/(m2K) with a 44mm triple glazing. The development work we are carrying out with WarmCore has also realised improvements in performance for the bi-folding door down to 1.3 W/(m2K) double glazed and 0.9 W/(m2K) with triple glazing.
We are aware of the security standards for the commercial sector and so WarmCore carries Secured by Design across all of the window and door variants, along with achieving the requirements under the latest PAS 24 specifications. A 3 Star rating is achieved using our preferred specification of a 2 Star handle and 1 Star cylinder and combined, provide the very highest security standards for the residential and commercial sectors.
Offering dual colours is easy with WarmCore thanks to the independent exterior and interior faces and near limitless range of RAL finishes to choose from, but we can also offer an expanded range of foiled finishes too from stock. Additionally, there’s the option of a powder coated exterior and a foiled internal face helping to replicate the appearance of a timber hybrid window, but in using materials that need little or no maintenance and at a better price point too.
WarmCore has moved on considerably since the launch of the bi-folding door as it now represents a complete and integrated window and door system with a wide range of associated ancillaries. The performance of WarmCore is unmatched in the aluminium sector and the design enhancements make it a superb solution for design-conscious homeowners and commercial specifiers looking for better energy efficiency and sound reduction credentials.