Stellar is ready – but is your aluminium system?

As new thermal performance regulations come into force, some aluminium systems are more ready than others when it comes to complying. Phil Parry, business development director at Epwin Window Systems explains why.

On 15 June 2022, a new revision to Part L of the Building Regulations comes into force which covers the energy efficiency of the building fabric in both new and existing dwellings.

The new regulations are likely to cause the biggest shake-up of thermal performance regulations for a number of years and will be especially complicated for many aluminium systems to meet.

Changes to Building Regulations have been more commonplace in recent years, and in the past, you could be reasonably confident the systems you used would already comply with the new requirements and you’d be able to carry on as normal. But not this time.

These new regulations go further than many people were expecting. And the way the U values now have to be calculated will undoubtedly have caught many by surprise.

Instead of being calculated on a 1,230w x 1,480h single opening casement (known as the CEN standard window), U values must be calculated on the GGF 2.2 window configuration, as used in WERs. This is a window with an opening light next to a fixed light with a central mullion. It’s harder to achieve the required U value on this configuration because there is more frame than in a CEN standard window.

It’s especially problematic for aluminium windows that use a dummy sash or rebate adaptor to create an internally beaded fixed light next to an opener because they use even more frame.

Stellar’s unique design doesn’t use dummy sashes or rebate adaptors so it’s more thermally efficient. Plus, its thermal breaks can be upgraded to meet the demands of thermal regulations that will only get stricter over time. It means we’re already ahead of the market.

To illustrate the difference the patented construction of Stellar makes, Epwin Window Systems’ simulated two GGF 2.2 windows. The first was a Stellar window constructed with a dummy sash. The second was a Stellar window constructed using the patented reverse butt joint.

The results were conclusively in favour of the reverse butt jointed window which achieved a calculated improvement of 0.1W/m²K over the dummy sash variant.

The future-proof design of Stellar is just the start. Stellar has already set a new standard in aluminium systems and has captured headlines as a result. Due to its intelligent system design, it’s faster to fabricate, uses less material and is quick to install. This is especially important for installers more familiar with fitting PVC-U products because it uses the same installation principles as PVC-U, including pre-gasketed knock in beads.

Stellar has slim sightlines and is at least 30% slimmer than its main competing systems. And as a further unique selling point, it is the only aluminium system on the market that offers a truly fully flush system, with flush aesthetics inside and out.

The Stellar system also takes the eco benefits of aluminium to the next level. It’s long-lasting with its lifespan of 30-40 years. It’s 100% recyclable too. But more than that, it uses 30% less aluminium than rival systems, so it uses fewer resources from the start.

These benefits are just a few of the many reasons that Stellar is fast securing a reputation for being a solution for lucrative high-end projects and has been used across all property types from modern to sensitive heritage transformations.

Stellar has already set a new benchmark in the retail aluminium sector and picked up several industry awards in the process. Its stunning aesthetics mean it attracts consumer attention like no other aluminium system. And with the introduction of the new Part L regulations, there’s yet another reason for it to be the aluminium system of choice for fabricators and installers looking to offer a future-proof aluminium system that is ready now.