| 49 T T Bernadette Cooney Innovative facades meet changing demands Unitised facades improve building performance and support greener, more responsible development practices. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Wight Aluminium Unitised facades are a modern construction solution for high-performing building envelopes, offering significant advantages in build speed, building performance and sustainability. In today’s construction landscape, there is a growing expectation to deliver buildings that perform to higher environmental and technical standards, and façade solutions supplier Wight Aluminium, supplier of APL Window Solutions systems, is delivering to these expectations with innovative unitised façade systems. “We are the longest-standing fabricator of APL product in New Zealand,” says Gavin Wight, managing director and third-generation owner of the family business. “We were one of their first customers back 50 years ago now. They supply all our aluminium extrusion that we use to fabricate curtain walls and window systems.” “We’re equipped to handle projects nationwide, and our expertise spans healthcare, education, multi-storey residential, and a range of commercial and mixed-use developments.” Unitised facade systems, such as those recently installed at Southern Cross Hospital Wellington, are transforming commercial building construction by streamlining processes. Unitised facades improve building performance and support greener, more responsible development practices. Unitised facades can be engineered for superior thermal, acoustic, and weather performance, and with early involvement of façade specialists, projects can benefit from better integration of glass, cladding, and insulation. The three-storey Southern Cross building is a good example of this integration. The project required that the facade incorporated brick, while the architect wanted to avoid traditional bricklaying methods. “We came up with a unitised façade solution where we prefabricated panels with brick slips – creating the appearance of a brick facade, but with all the benefits of a unitised system,” Gavin explains. “They are also lighter weight, making installation quick and efficient, resulting in a high-quality, low-risk solution.” Unitised facade systems are prefabricated and assembled on-site. This significantly reduces on-site construction time and ensures a higher level of quality and precision. With its production facilities in Whanganui and Hamilton, and design and project- management offices in Auckland and Wellington, Wight Aluminium is well-positioned to manage projects nationwide. Delivering remarkable façades that meet the ambitious visions of architects and their clients, Wight Aluminium is involved in significant projects, including a new global headquarters for Fisher & Paykel Appliances currently under construction in Auckland. Here the company is supplying a unitised façade over a fully engineered timber diagrid frame. The company also supplied a unitised façade with a combination of vision panels and folded aluminium panels for a 6 Green Star-rated, 14-level office building at 50 Albert Street, Auckland. New Zealand’s largest mass timber-constructed office building, located at 90 Devonport Road, Tauranga, and now home to Tauranga City Council, features a unitised curtain wall with feature insert panels from Wight Aluminium. The company is committed to sustainability in its supply chain, and participates in carbon- reduction initiatives with its partners. “Ultimately, the products that we’re delivering to site have some of the lowest embodied carbon in the country,” Gavin says. “We’re equipped to handle projects nationwide, and our expertise spans healthcare, education, multi-storey residential, and a range of commercial and mixed-use developments.” Proudly working alongside Wight Aluminium to deliver New Zealand's leading window and door solutions aplnz.co.nz wightaluminium.co.nz
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