shapes magazine 2014 #2 - english
TRANSCRIPT
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V IETNAM HAS one of the world’s
fastest-growing economies. I see
this each time I visit our plant in
Ho Chi Minh City, and I marvel at
the speed of change and the high
level of energy.
Sapa has built a strong reputation in Viet-
nam for delivering product quality and service
excellence. This should not surprise anyone
because it is part of our DNA, and customers
like CS Wind, Siemens and TUUCI will accept
no less. We take our global competence to local
customers and work together on solutions that
are providing real value to our customers.
Another topic we address in this issue of
Shapes is material substitution. Many
customers are choosing aluminium
to replace other materials in their
product solutions, in buildings
and automobiles as well as in
heat exchange and other indus-
trial applications. Sapa’s
unmatched research and
development resources
are helping make substi-
tution easier for you.
When you consider
aluminium solutions,I want your first thought
to be Sapa.
04
Trading upReplacing existing materials with more suitablealternatives can have major cost benefits and, accord-
ing to Ferdinand Munk, help create “beautiful products.”
08
Boom times in VietnamThis Southeast Asian nation is developing rapidly andlocal consumption of aluminium is on the rise.
12
Electric solutionWith its lightweight body, the Tesla Model S electric carprovides owners with a unique driving experience.
16 A world of possibilitiesWarmer and softer to touch than steel, aluminium extru-sions are a favorite material for top industrial designerKonstantin Grcic.
EditoriAL contentS
Substituting
with aluminium
04
12
08
16
President and CEO of Sapa
SVEIN TORE HOLSETHER
Shapes is the Sapa Group’s customer magazine. It is published twice a year in 17 language editions.
Editor-in-chief: Kevin Widlic, [email protected] Editorial Assistant: Eva Ekselius,
[email protected] Managing Editor: Ylva Carlsson Art Directors: Karin Söderlind,
Maria Lindén Language coordination: Inger Finell Production: Appelberg Publishing Group
Printing: V-TAB Changes of address: Inform your contact person at Sapa or Corporate
Communications at [email protected] Shapes is also available at www.sapagroup.com
Copyright © Sapa AS 2014 - Sapa's product names in this magazine are all
trademarks of Sapa Group.
MORE TO READ
How it works/Extrusions 03 · Role Model 07 · News 14
Trends 19 · Development 20 · Green Solutions 22titution. Many
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Principles of extrusionForced through like toothpaste from a tubeTEXT: SAPA ILLUSTRATION: LI ROSÉN
how it works
e
IT ALL STARTS with ingots of aluminiumalloy. These are cut into billets, thenheated in an induction furnace to theright extrusion temperature of 450-500degrees Celsius.
The heated billet is then forcedthrough a die under great pressure, andthe finished profile is squeezed out of
the die like toothpaste from a tube intowhatever shape is needed.
The profile emerges at a speed of5 to 50 meters per minute and is nor-mally between 25 and 45 meters long.
The profile is cooled using air or wateras it leaves the die. After cooling, theprofile is stretched to relieve any stressand to achieve the desired straightness.
… are cut
to lengths
(billets)
adjusted for
the press
operation …
Aluminium
alloy logs in
lengths of
4 to 8 meters…
…then the metal is
extruded through the
die and immediately
cooled off.
… and heated
to about 500
degrees C…
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4 SHAPES 2.2014
MATERial SUBSTITUTION
More customers want to use the
metal of the future as their metal for
today. Material substitution requires
a systematic approach.
A LUMINIUM IS ALWAYS competing
with other materials. In some cases,
it competes with wood and poly-
vinyl chloride, in others with met-
als such as copper and steel. Copper
is substantially more expensive than aluminium,
while aluminium costs significantly more than
steel by weight. Such cost differences normally cre-
ate a competitive advantage, because cost matters.
But cost in itself is usually not enough to lead
a manufacturer to change materials. Material
substitution is a process that requires an overall
analysis, or audit, of the actua l product. Such
processes can also include forces that either resist
or encourage change, like tradition, or improved
competitiveness.
“Substitution processes cannot be predicted
by relative price movements alone,” writes Frank
Messner, head of staff at the Helmholtz Centre for
TEXT KEVIN WIDLIC PHOTO MAURIZIO CAMAGNA
Choosing
a new metal
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2.2014 5
ROLE MODEL
G -
G
-
G
Source: Mahmoud Farag, The
American University in Cairo
Steps towardsubstitution
WITH ALUMINIUM I
CAN MAKE BEAUTIFUL
PRODUCTS. Ferdinand Munk,
managing director of
Günzburger Steigtechnik
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6 SHAPES 2.2014
MATERIAL SUBSTITUTION
SAPA’S ALUMINIUM SOLUTION is reducing
the weight of LEONI Kabel’s battery cables
by about half, compared with copper, and
achieving considerable cost savings as well.
Their performance is the same.
Cables in passenger vehicles weigh a total of
about 25 kilograms. The traditional material
used in these cables is copper.
Battery cables represent some 15 percent
of the overall cable weight in an automo-bile. LEONI has partnered with Sapa
in replacing copper with coated
aluminium in its battery cables.
Jaguar (pictured right) has
done the same, says Michael Wind, who
is responsible for sales and marketing
to the automotive industry for Sapa’s
aluminium tubing business.
“These are individual, case-by-case pro-
cesses with weight savings and cost savings as
the incentives,” he says. “They are successful
cases.”
a e s attery ca es
pared with copper, and
rable cost savings as well.
ce is the same.
nger vehicles weigh a total of
s. The traditional material
es is copper.
represent some 15 percent
le weight in an automo-artnered with Sapa
er with coated
battery cables.
right) has
s respons e or sa es an mar et ng
to the automotive industry for Sapa’s
aluminium tubing business.
“These are individual, case-by-case pr
cesses with weight savings and cost savings as
the incentives,” he says. “They are successful
cases.
Battery cables fromcopper to aluminium
39
o-
151The average amount of
aluminium in passenger
vehicles increased from
39 kg in 1976 to 151 kg in
2010.
KILOGRAMS
KILOGRAMS
Environmental Research in Leipzig, Germany.
“Instead, it should be considered that material
substitution is an evolutionary and path-depen-
dent process that requires learning as well as time,
capital, research and experience.”
The properties inherent to aluminium provide
the light metal with a competitive advantage over
other materials in scores of applications, such as
in heat transfer. Moreover, the process for pro-
ducing extruded shapes, where design limitations
are small, makes a luminium an excellent alterna-
tive in industries where strength and weight are
factors.
IN THE BUILDING SECTOR, the low maintenance
requirements of aluminium add value in products
such as windows or façades, which also take advan-
tage of the metal’s strength. A luminium is flexible,
resists corrosion and is completely recyclable.
Sometimes the functional qualities of the metal
take a backseat to something more basic. “We buy
with our eyes,” says Ferdinand Munk, owner and
managing director of Günzburger Steigtechnik.
“With aluminium I can make beautiful products.”
The German company is one of the premier Euro-
pean suppliers of ascending systems, from ladders
to aircraft maintenance platforms. Aluminium is
Günzburger’s material of choice.
THE ALUMINIUM INDUSTRY produces a wide
range of alloys to meet the specifications of
customers. Extruders like Sapa can add a range of
services, such as surface treatment and wall thick-
ness, that tailor the material even more.
The objective is to identify the material that can
achieve the product requirements while optimiz-
ing the required material properties and charac-
teristics. The material of choice should be devel-
oped specifically for the application.
Developments in aluminium’s end-use applica-
tions have probably moved fastest in the automotive
industry, one that has long preferred steel as its
material of choice. The average amount of alu-
minium in passenger vehicles has increased from
39 kilograms in 1976 to 151 kilograms in 2010, and it
continues to grow, often at the expense of steel.
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2.2014 7
ROLE MODEL
Tahiri Lahouari
Occupation:
Press operator
Work location:
Châteauroux, France
Family:
Wife, 4 children,
5 grandchildrenTime with the company:
30 years, including a few
months at Alcoa, 29 years
at Hydro and now Sapa
Hobbies:
Do-it-yourself projects
and watching movies
Personal green initiatives:
Minimize water and energy
consumption and sort
household waste
TAHIRI LAHOUARI, a press operator
at Sapa’s plant in Châteauroux, France,
is interested in both new solutions and
the environment.
When Sapa’s CEO, Svein Tore Holsether,
recently asked employees for their tips for
using aluminium, Lahouari had a bright
idea. “I suggested that we install solar
panels made with aluminium profiles fromSapa’s factories,” Lahouari says. “By doing
this we could reduce electricity consump-
tion at the plant.”
Lahouari’s idea was to use the energy
from the solar panels for applications such
as lighting and heating. He also proposed
that rainwater be collected on rainy days.
After purification, the water could be used
for cooling or sanitary purposes.
Lahouari has bought a house that he is
renovating in his free time, but he is in no
hurry to finish the job. He does everything
himself and is passionate about finding
technical solutions that can reduce energy
consumption.
“While talking about installing solar
panels at home, I realized the same technol-
ogy could also be used in Sapa’s facilities,”
Lahouari says.
Lahouari is not alone in thinking his
idea is a good one. His proposal was one of
four winners in the “New Ideas” contest
launched by Sapa’s CEO. Lahouari hopes
his idea will become a reality.
Let it shine A home improvement project led
to an energy-saving suggestion at
a Sapa plant in France.TEXT PHOTO
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8 SHAPES 2.2014
THE NEW sapa
With a young population and a
fast-growing economy, Vietnam
is transforming its two largest
cities, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
takes off
TEXT KEVIN WIDLIC PHOTOS FRANÇOISCARLET-SOULAGES; GETTY IMAGES
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2.2014 9
V IE TNA M outlook
WITHOUT AN ASSOCIATION representing its
aluminium companies, Vietnam lacks reli-
able statistics on domestic consumption of the
light metal. Still, local experts say aluminium
consumption clearly is growing in line with the
country’s rapid development.
PwC predicts that Vietnam will be the fastest
growing of the world’s emerging economies by
2025, with potential annual growth of 10 percent
in real dollar terms. The country ’s poverty rate is
decreasing faster than China’s, unemployment is
below 5 percent, and half the population is 25 or
younger.
The country is not waiting. Growth is here to-
day, most visibly in its two largest cities. As part
of its work to support the growth, the Vietnam-
ese government has planned USD 289 billion in
projects relating to markets for mechanical and
infrastructure building products through 2025,
says Nguyen Van Thu, president of the Vietnam
Association of Mechanical Industry (VAMI).
“Our figures show that aluminium consump-
tion in Vietnam has been increasing by 15 to 20
percent annually,” Thu says. “It is used in many
of our most important industries and industrial
applications.” The metal is being used in the con-
struction of high-rise buildings, for their exterior
look as well as in the interiors.
“As demand has increased, so has industry’s
need for better-quality aluminium and alu-
minium products,” Thu says. “If I’m involved in
purchasing, I will look for foreign suppliers when
ours aren’t good enough. But importing is costly
and not sustainable. With our planned projects
in industrial infrastructure, the proportion of
aluminium usage in Vietnam will continue to in-
crease at a high rate. Still, we prefer local supply,
and I hope our aluminium companies can meet
the challenge.”
HO CHI MINH CITY (HCMC), Vietnam’s busi-
ness capital and most populous city, built about
6,100 new residential units in 2013. The real
estate services firm CBRE Vietnam reports
CHINA
LAOS
CAMBODIA
THAILAND VIETNAM
HANOI
HO CHI
MINH CITY
“We serve as a
coordinator and
a connector, and
we can connect
directly with the
government and
recommend
proposals,” says
Nguyen Van Thu
of VAMI. “We
have many
projects lined up.”
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10 SHAPES 2.2014
this was 84 percent higher than in the previous
year. In addition, around 40 buildings taller than
100 meters have been completed or are under con-
struction in HCMC, including the 68-story Bitexco
Financial Tower, which opened in 2010.
Nearly 8 million people live in the city. Forecast-
ers expect this number to nearly double over the
next 10 years, adding to the demand for housing,
office space and public infrastructure. With its
large population, high rate of economic growth and
booming construction activity, HCMC accounts
for as much as 25 percent of total energy consump-
tion in Vietnam. Energy saving is therefore a hot
topic.
NGUYEN TRUONG LUU, the permanent deputy
chairman of the HCMC Association of Architects,
knows the numbers. As an architect who has been
involved in many construction projects in Viet-
nam, Luu has been using aluminium solutions for
10 years, and he expects use of the metal in Viet-
nam’s building industry to grow substantially.
“Global trends show that new building projects
are paying attention to energy-saving architec-
ture, and I k now aluminium contributes,” Luu
says. “We want that here and are hoping for further
advances in energy-saving solutions.”
HE POINTS TO the new HCMC Lottery Office
Building as an example. “In this building, we used
aluminium louvers that allowed light into the
rooms without the heat of the sun,” he says. “For
this alone, the calculation for energy saving was
USD 50,000 per year.”
“Steel and other metals were the history of
architecture until aluminium came in as a new
material,” he says. “Once we started using alu-
minium, it changed our architecture. I have a good
feeling about aluminium. As with music, prefer-
ences change over time, and now is the time of
aluminium. It is a delight for an architect because
it is light, durable and can be shaped.”
VAMI is a non-governmental
organization established
in 2002 by the Ministry of
Home Affairs and the Minis-
try of Industry and Trade. It
serves as the voice of Viet-
nam’s mechanical industry,
with members in shipbuild-
ing, automotive, industrial
and construction equipment.
HCMC Association ofArchitects has around 1,000
members, many of whom
work within institutional
architecture or for fabrica-
tors. It offers many services,
including consultations with
architects, professors and
universities.
“We either import
aluminium prod-
ucts from China,
the United States
or Europe, or we
buy from domestic
suppliers,” says
architect Nguyen
Truong Luu. “Our
association prefers
local materialsbecause import-
ing is costlier and
takes longer for
delivery, and be-
cause imports use
more energy.”
The Vietnamese
market is calling for
better-quality
aluminium and
aluminium solutions.
Important voices
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2.2014 11
V IE TNA M outlook
WIND TOWERS ARE built in sections and can
stand more than 100 meters tall. CS Wind Vietnam
builds the giant towers that support offshore wind
turbines.
CS Wind, the parent company, has three pro-
duction sites around the world. Its facility in Viet-
nam is the only one that delivers tower sections
fully integrated with the aluminium platform
inside. All its products are exported, mainly to the
United States and Europe.
At CS Wind Vietnam’s large industrial site in
Tan Thanh, southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, mas-
sive tower sections lie flat, side by side, all across
the property, the ends of the towers covered by
canvas flaps. How big are they? Removing the can-
vas, one can step inside and stand upright.
That’s when the aluminium platform becomes
visible, with its staircase leading to the other end.
“We manufacture according to the specifica-
tions of our customers, and while the towers may
look alike, the specifications differ and they are
constantly being adjusted,” says Na Yeo-Song, who
manages the Aluminium and Steel Fabrication
Plant.
The aluminium fabrication section at CS Wind
Vietnam can produce 170 metric tons per month
on average for one-shift production, he says.
CS WIND VIETNAM wants more than service and
product quality from its suppliers. “We want part-
ners with technical competence,” says Nguyen Thi
Huyen of the Material Management Team.
She says such competence can improve solu-
tions and reduce costs. Na Yeo-Song points to an
extruded aluminium bracket as an example.
“We had a solution using aluminium plate, and
we experienced cracks in the plate,” he says. “Sapa
came up with an idea to replace this part w ith a
bracket. It has saved money in cutting and bending,
and it can be cut to length, which saves material
costs. The new product was designed to meet our
needs. It was an improvement.”
A tower to the sky
CS Wind is headquar-
tered in Seoul, South
Korea. In 2003, the
company established its
Vietnamese business in
Ba Ria–Vung Tau province
to enter the growing wind
power industry. Today,CS Wind Vietnam is one
of the leading suppliers
of wind tower solutions
for onshore and offshore
wind turbines, deliver-
ing to companies such as
Siemens, Vestas, Acciona
and General Electric.
“Aluminium is
easy to handle
and assemble,
we can keep it
for a long time,
and it is beauti-
ful,” says plant
manager
Na Yeo-Song
of CS Wind
Vietnam.
side one of the
ind tower sec-
ons, aluminium is
verywhere.
Leading supplier
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2.2014 13
the picture
ges over a standard car, but
obile involves a lot of cost and
assembly line is the Model S,
s of an electric vehicle.
odel Sy design
World-class five-star safety
Zero tailpipe emissions
Instant full torque
FEATURES
BATTERY STRUCTURE
LIGHT BODY
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news
14 SHAPES 2.2014
Sophisticated playing THESE ALUMINIUM machined dice
are ideal for travel and smartlymachined to balance the weight
perfectly. This was achievedby varying the depths of the
spots on them so that noside is weighted more than
any other. The result is a pairof sophisticated dice that are
easy to carry around with you.
www.shop.coolmaterial.com
A LIFE-SIZE SCULPTURE of a
Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, made ofaluminium, can now be seen on the bank
of the river Seine in Paris. Compagnie
des Bateaux-Mouches, which runs
sightseeing boats on the river, installed
the sculpture atop its riverside platform.
The artwork, conceived and built by theFrench artist Philippe Pasqua, stands
four meters tall and seven meters long. It
contains 350 bones made of cast
aluminium with a silver finish.
With its size and unexpected location,
the sculpture is a new tourist attraction. Viewed from the right angle, the dinosaur
can be seen about to devour the Eiffel
Tower.
Full scale T-Rex in Paris
Independent studies have confirmed
that aluminum has a 20 percent smaller
life cycle CO2 footprint than steel.
Source: aluminum.org
P H O T O G
E T T Y
I M A G E S
P E R C E N
T
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news
2.2014 15
SAPA ORGANIZES
WHEN AALBORG AIRPORT in
Denmark set out to order 842 new seats, it
began by looking careful ly at travelers’
needs. It found they wanted power for
their computers, phones and tablets. But
Aalborg A irport went even further – it
wanted a visionary design la nguage, a
continuation of the airport’s architecture
and identity. It wanted seats with no
visible joints, no visible screw s and wiring
for the power outlets integrated invisibly
into the design.
The furniture line, delivered by Marcus
Pedersen, consists of a modular system
in which the aluminium profiles are the
predominant characteristics of the bridge
structure that carries the furniture. Sapa
delivered the aluminium solutions.
Visionary design at Aalborg Airport
SAPA HAS RUN an educational
half-day session about aluminium
solutions at Peugeot Design Lab’s
studio in Paris. Aluminium has been an
important component of the French
company’s products since 1941. One of
the latest examples is the AE21 Hybrid,
a compact ebike where the ‘Clever Case’
frame, constructed from lightweight
and hard-wearing aluminium,
accommodates the battery.
AppSolut Sapa SAPA HAS ADDED
Lighter cycles
Award-winningstudents
P H O T O
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16 SHAPES 2.2014
THE NEW sapa
WHEN WE
USE IT, WE TRY
TO SHOW IT. Konstantin Grcic
about aluminium
Konstantin Grcic
Hometown: Munich
Age: 49
Training: As a cabinet-
maker at John Make-
peace’s Parnham College
in Dorset, England, before
studying design at the
Royal College of Art in
London
Office: Konstantin Grcic
Industrial Design, Munich
Next challenge: “We con-
tinue to work on projects
for a lot of existing clients.
It’s a journey of learning,
trying to understand more
and being more precise.”
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18 SHAPES 2.2014
THE NEW sapa
material in my field that, when we useit, we try to show it,” he says. “That’s
not true of all materials.”
Moreover, aluminium doesn’t
corrode. “It’s a material that we can
use indoors or outdoors,” Grcic says.
“It’s interesting how it seems to work
in both places, unlike concrete, for
example, which people associate with
the outside.”
ALUMINIUM EXTRUSIONS interest
him as they involve a highly indus-
trial process at an affordable price,
producing a high-quality result. His
first serious project with extrusions
was Table_B, created for BD Barce-
lona Design. Table_B’s thin tabletop
is made of extruded aluminium,
evoking the shape and lightness of
an airplane wing. “I use aluminium
extrusions a lot,” he says. “I like that
they can be ordinary round or square
tubes or can be used to make the
most intricate and complex shapes,
which can also fulfill functions.”Grcic trained first as a furniture
restorer and then as a cabinetmaker.
Even during his apprenticeship,
however, he was drawn to produc-
tion processes. “What appealed to
me was the machine as a tool, making
things precisely in batches,” he says.
“That led me to become an industrial
designer, where we develop products
to be produced in quantity. We design
products for people, for society, for
life.”
Some of Grcic’s creations live with
him, he says. “I want to find out if the
final product really works, not just
in its practical use but in an environ-
ment in relation to other things.”
His passion for furniture is trans-
parent. “Furniture is such a beautiful
thing,” he says. “It’s so old but forms so
much of our daily life. I’m not working
in the most innovative environment,
but I can still be very innovative
within that environment.”
NOTABLE CLIENTSAuthentics, BD Ediciones, ClassiCon, Emeco,
Flos, Flötotto, Magis, Muji, Nespresso, Plank,
Serafino Zani, Thomas-Rosenthal, Vitra.
WHERE TO SEE HIS WORK
New York: Museum of Modern Art and
Brooklyn Museum of Art, Paris: Centre
Georges Pompidou, Chicago: Art Institute,
London: Victoria & Albert Museum and
Design Museum, Munich: Deutsches Museum
and Die Neue Sammlung, Tel Aviv: Tel Aviv
Museum of Art, Rotterdam: Boijmans Van
Beuningen Museum.
AWARDS
2014 IF Design Award, Germany,for Parrish Chair by Emeco
2013 ICON Award, Furniture of the Year,
for Bench_B by BD Barcelona
2013 German Design Award, Gold,
for Tom and Jerry – The Wild Bunch by Magis
2012 Best of Best, Interior Innovation Award,
Germany, for Pro by Flötotto
2001 XIX Compasso d’Oro, Italy,
for Mayday by Flos among others
Grcic's studio in
Munich where he
feels at his most
creative.
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20 SHAPES 2.2014
New alloysfor safer carsNew aluminium alloys will help
automotive companies meet stricter
crash standards.
A
LUMINIUM AND the auto-
motive industry have always
been linked, but their con-
nection was only marginal
until the 1970s. That’s whenuse of the metal accelerated,
often replacing materials
such as steel, plastic and cop-
per in crash applications as well as in heat tra nsfer
systems and other components.
Lighter cars use less fuel and account for lower
carbon dioxide emissions than heavier ones.
Thanks largely to their aluminium content, the
weight reductions achieved in the 17 million cars
produced in Europe in 2012 will save on average
65 liters of fuel per car per year and reduce CO2
emissions by a total of 43 million metric tons over
the lifespan of the vehicles, according to a Ducker
Worldwide study. Lightweighting is here to stay,
because lighter cars are helping the environment.
The challenge for carmakers, however, is not only
stiffening fuel-economy requirements. Crash
mandates are getting tougher too, and these often
require adding weight.
Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs)
have different specifications regarding the perfor-
mance of crash-relevant parts. Such components
include side beams in the closure systems such
as doors, longitudinals in the main car body and
TEXT KEVIN WIDLIC PHOTO PETER HOLGERSSON
crash boxes – bumper system applications that
protect the chassis, or body structure, of an auto-
mobile.
AUDI IS CONSIDERED one of the leading OEMs
in structura l aluminium development with its
defined strength classes and yield strength. These
classes are labeled C20, C24, C28 and now C32,
where tensile strength and crash performance
demands are vital. The objective for suppliers is to
find the right alloy for the crash components, one
that performs without fracturing. It is a process
that demands time and resources.
In 2008, Sapa Technology began mapping the
mechanisms and preparing for anticipated future
requests related to qualification of a C28 alloy.
The standard alloys 6082 and 6061 proved strong
enough but not good enough in crash performance.
So when Audi came to Sapa with a true request
for C28, Sapa’s microstructure and extrusion
“The technical
competence we
have is unmatched
in our industry,”
says Jan Strid,
head of Corporate
R&D for Sapa. “One
of our aims is toprovide a full range
of crash alloys,
enabling the
customer to order
all parts from the
same supplier.”
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22 SHAPES 2.2014
I
N 1990, THE UK government launched
BREEAM, the UK Building Research Es-
tablishment Environmental Assessment
Method. Today, about 200,000 buildings
in the UK and elsewhere have been certi-fied through this environmental assess-
ment method.
Eight years later, the US Green Build-
ing Council launched its Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design (LEED) assessment
method. LEED criteria can be used in any country.
Other methods have sprung up in other parts of
the world, such as Green Star and Estidama, but
BREEAM and LEED are currently the two most
widely used methods for assessing the environ-
mental standards of a building. They are both
aimed at improving a building’s environmental
performance in areas such as energy savings, CO2
emission reductions and water efficiency.
BUILDINGS ARE ASSESSED on a wide range of
environmental and sustainability issues, and cred-
its are awarded when a certain process or level of
performance is achieved. These credits determine
the final score, which results in a building’s rating.
Architects, builders and owners tend to select a
method based on its relevance according to local
regulations, climate and supply chain.
Certification in general is growing in popularity
for existing buildings as well as new construction,
says Sue Clark, LEED Manager, Sweden Green
Building Council. The choice between BREEAM
and LEED tends to be one of corporate preference
for the builder and owner, she says.“Many construction firms in the Nordics, for
example, tend to choose BREEAM, which can be
adapted for their national markets and building
regulations,” Clark says. “But for global firms and
the large multinationals, we see more interest in
LEED, which is a more universal system with less
flexibility to interpret on a national basis.”
BUILDINGS ARE ASSESSED comprehensively,
and while selecting one material over another
won’t earn points in an assessment process, ma-
terials do play a role in contributing to the overall
rating. “Greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution
and a range of different impacts for each material
are taken into consideration,” Clark says. When it
comes to aluminium, factors such as the availabil-
ity of recycled (post-consumer) content and the
type of energy used in the extraction process are
among the environmental impacts considered.
Clark acknowledges the popularity of alumi-
nium for curtain wall systems in particular. “We
see that architects like to use aluminium because
it performs well, doesn’t rust, has a nice color, is
lightweight and keeps its finish,” she says.
green solutions ASSESSMENT METHODS
As demand for green buildings rises, environmental
assessment methods such as LEED and BREEAM
are becoming more important than ever.
TEXT CARI SIMMONSPHOTO DANIEL HOPKINSON
Energy check
One Angel Square in Ma
chester, England, feature
an innovative double-sk
aluminium façade from
Sapa. The office building
achieved a BREEAM “ou
standing” rating.
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2.2014 23
questions for
Sarah Buffaloe, US Green Building CouncilLEED Specialist, Materials and ResourcesWhat role does aluminium play in assessments?
“As a versatile metal product, aluminium contributes to
LEED as structure, enclosure and permanently installed
building elements. In any of these end uses, aluminium
contributes toward all three Building Product Disclosure
and Optimization credits – environmental product declara-
tions, sourcing of raw materials and material ingredients.”
How is aluminium rated?
“Most of the environmental impacts of aluminium and
metal products in general are in the extraction practices.Generally the environmental benefits are seen in the
recyclability of the metal. However, the life-cycle assess-
ment results depicting this benefit vary depending on how
allocation is performed for the end-
of life scenario.”
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A. Screw port for lidB. Inner track for electronicsC. Outer track profile for keypad/
lightingD. Outer track for information/
décorE. Adapted for post/attachmentF. Reinforcement for attachmentG. Ventilation
ew port for lidr track for electronics
Modular designPrisma Teknik’s new generation of digital acoustic pedestrian signals
(DAPS) brings together several extrusions in one solution. The DAPS series
is being used in cities throughout the world.ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCKPHOTO, SAPA
detail
FunctionsThe extruded profileserves as the hous-ing. It is manufacturedwith strong aluminium,ensuring long life andanodized in blue color.