As universities compete to attract the very best students, the accommodation they provide must make the grade. Andrew Cooper, Senior Architectural System’s national specification manager, discusses the top benefits that aluminium windows, doors and curtain walling can bring to student residential schemes.

Reducing maintenance costs

The very nature of student residences means that maintenance requirements are a top priority for the developer. The quality of the accommodation available plays a key role in helping students decide where to study so it is vital that the building envelope is built to last.

As well as its aesthetic appeal, aluminium significantly outperforms other types of framing material in terms of its durability.  Hard wearing and robust, aluminium fenestration systems can not only help to reduce cyclical maintenance costs but with many products offering a guarantee of upwards of 30 years, can also make a positive contribution to managing the overall lifecycle costs of the building.

Desirable design schemes

The new generation of high-specification, purpose-built residential schemes is a far cry from the days of dark, damp and gloomy student digs. Although student rooms are generally seen as temporary abodes and so follow a different design code to other residential schemes, daylighting is still vitally important. The slim sightlines offered by aluminium windows help create bright and comfortable interiors, maximising the flow of light into bedrooms that are often used as both living and study areas. Similarly, the use of aluminium frame doors and curtain walling is an effective way to open up entrances and communal areas. One of our recently completed contracts, The Towpath in Chester, is a great example of the high-specification design that has become synonymous with the student accommodation sector.

Home comforts

As well as looking good from the outside, it’s vital to create a comfortable and pleasant internal environment that is cost-effective to maintain. With many new student accommodation schemes aspiring to achieve top  BREEAM  targets, the specification of low U-value glazing systems can help to create comfortable interior temperatures and reduce heating costs for the tenants. Thermally-efficient systems can also significantly reduce the risk of condensation build up which is a common problem in this sector owing to students drying laundry indoors and communal kitchen and bathrooms being frequently used.

Our patented PURe^® aluminium windows and doors has proven to be ideally suited to meet the specific requirements of this sector and has been specified on a number of high-profile schemes, including one of our largest orders to date for The University of Hull.

Acoustic performance

An added benefit of aluminium window, door and curtain walling systems that offer increased thermal efficiency is enhanced acoustic performance.

To attract students, location is everything and schemes that benefit from central and convenient locations, close to both campus, transport links, shops and of course pubs, will always be more popular.  The acoustic performance of the building envelope is vitally important, particularly for schemes that are located in a prime city centre location like Sharman Court in Sheffield, where there is an even greater need to ensure external noise doesn’t disturb the students and any noise breakout from within is minimised.

Safe and secure

For many students, university will be their first taste of living alone and so offering a safe and secure environment that provides peace of mind is a major attraction.

The intrinsic strength of aluminium frame windows and doors provides increased security and the best quality products, like those offered by Senior, are fully tested to PAS 24 and achieve compliance with the recently launched Approved Document Q code.

As accidents associated with falls from windows are commonplace in this sector and the design of many accommodation schemes feature multiple storeys with windows at varying heights, this important safety issue must be addressed at the initial design stage. The use of window restrictors can provide protection from falls but still allow windows to be opened for ventilation.  Additionally, the installation of external mesh panels, used in conjunction with opening-in windows, can improve safety. These panels can also incorporate bespoke and aesthetically pleasing design details, bringing another dimension to the architectural impact of the building façade. 

Senior delivers

Affordability will always be a sticking point in the student accommodation market and much like the students themselves, those working in this sector find themselves faced with a myriad of challenges from adhering to tight budgets, deadlines and expectations of outstanding performance.  It may be a learning curve for some but in our experience, the solutions to these problems can often be found through supplier collaboration as it provides the perfect forum for manufacturers to contribute specialist knowledge and facilitates an environment in which innovation can thrive.

Click here to find out how Senior can assist with your next project.