SD Commercial Doors, designed and produced in the UK by Senior Architectural Systems, are one of the longest established commercial aluminium doors of its kind. The system has changed little in its 20 year life to date, which is a testament to its good design and long life expectance.

In order to meet ever more stringent requirements for commercial doors in new buildings, the SD range has been tested to, and passed, ‘PAS 24’ for commercial doors. This follows the companies move to provide a complete range of products which can be manufactured to meet higher security standards required on certain projects.

Commercial doors can be installed into various configurations of commercial fixed light glazed screens supplied in the SD system, or installed into one of five of the companies high performance curtain wall systems, which includes the award winning Senior Hybrid Curtain Wall, a high performance timber aluminium composite system.

One of the largest installations to be undertaken in Seniors' Hybrid window system is now reaching completion on site. The £66 million expansion for the University of York at Heslington East, is being undertaken by main contractor, BAM. The buildings will provide accommodation for four departments, the Department of Theatre, Film & Television, the Department of Computer Science, The York Law School and The York Management School.

In order to provide an efficient program of installation and remove the need for external scaffolding the floor to ceiling window units are being constructed complete with glazing and transported to site on 'A' frame stillages ready for immediate installation. Fabrication and installation is being undertaken by The Topside Group, based in Billingham in the North east.

Lennart Jonsson, Senior Architectural Systems MD, commented, "We are delighted to be involved with the scheme, not only will the completed project be a showcase for the University of York, but it will show that Hybrid is a product which can be used for large scale projects. With the successful launch of our continental looking, 'Hybrid - Series 2', I firmly believe we can compete favourably with our European counterparts."

Following in the footsteps of the award winning and highly successful Hybrid system from Senior Architectural Systems comes a new streamlined product designed with specifiers in mind. ‘Hybrid Series 2’ offers slim sight lines and a harmonious balance to design, which until now, has only been available as an import. ‘Hybrid - Series 2’ is being launched at EcoBuild 2010 and is expected to draw a great deal of interest from both specifiers and fabricators.

Widely requested by specifiers, fixed lights and opening lights in ‘Hybrid - Series 2’ carry the same sight lines offering clean uniformity once installed. The system has already been tested to, and exceeds, the current British standards for a window of this type and is suitable for all projects, including ‘high-rise’ applications.

Seniors Hybrid system is designed, pre-finished and stocked in the UK and is available for local manufacture ensuring that the product minimises carbon content in its construction. As ‘Hybrid - Series 2’ is also available from UK stock, this can further reduce embodied carbon by reducing overall project timings and obviously having a positive effect on reducing costs as opposed to using an imported alternative.

Hybrid products are easily deconstructed at the end of their useful life, which is typically 30 years or more, this ensures easy recycling and in many cases the value associated with recycling for this type of system, can often offset replacement costs.

Once again this year EcoBuild will be the largest construction exhibition in the UK, and one not to miss, Seniors look forward to welcoming to their stand at EcoBuild to learn more about ‘Hybrid - Series 2’ and “bringing harmonious balance to design”.

Despite the current uncertain climate ‘ecobuild 2010’, which starts on 2nd of March, will the biggest yet. The exhibition was only launched in 2005 and has doubled in size every year since its conception, there are now over 850 exhibitors and over 100 conferences available to attend, making the show a must see for anyone in the construction industry.

Senior Architectural Systems and ModCell have once again teamed up to offer a true carbon negative approach to the future needs of our educational buildings. By using the latest thinking involving locally sourced materials and manufacturing this form of construction actually locks away more carbon that it produces during the construction cycle. By using a lime rendered, straw bale construction within a structural timber frame, with a locally sourced timber aluminium high performance window and door system, the final structure has a positive effect on our environment.

Willmott Dixon have undertaken extensive research into the method of construction and will be on hand to discuss the impact of this modular construction for the construction industry. The stand is also supported by the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) who provide a rich source of new and innovative collaborations which help bring new products to market in the shortest time.

The classroom venue will be used for conferences during the exhibition as well as being open for visitors to discuss the ramifications of such carbon negative structures at the show. Whilst the current theme is all about the current school construction programme, the modular system can also be used in many other building sectors such as housing, hospitals and office sectors.

Specifiers material options for windows, doors and curtain wall systems have never been broader. The specifier can choose between the main framing materials of aluminium, timber, PVC and steel or opt for a growing number of composite systems of various materials.

For high rise and predominantly commercial applications, aluminium remains one of the most popular choices for the specifier giving a long service life with virtually 100% recyclability many times over. Improved polyamide thermal breaks allow systems to meet the most stringent insulation requirements.

Over the last decade aluminium timber composite systems have become very popular. Timber offers improved insulation with a natural and ‘warm’ internal finish, timber also helps lock away carbon from our atmosphere making it a good ‘green’ product to use. But specifiers should be aware that the selection process does not need to be an ‘either or’ decision.

With the majority of composite systems opting for an aluminium external weathering material it is quite easy to mix material choices within a commercial or residential application and still maintain a uniform appearance from outside the building.

Main, high traffic, entrances are best specified using aluminium commercial doors. Utility rooms, manufacturing areas and laboratories, again aluminium internally would be a preferential and hard wearing finish. But when we are looking at offices, board rooms and living spaces, a timber appearance could be better suited. Importantly the specifier can make the choice in conjunction with the client for various areas of the project.

Senior Architectural Systems provide both Aluminium systems and an award winning composite system known as ‘Hybrid’. Seniors’. Fabricators can seamlessly join these systems to make best use of each of the systems qualities whilst maintaining similar external sight lines and uniform finish. An all British design, the complete range of systems are available in stock in the UK and can be fabricated with the minimum of investment in new machinery.

The importance of specifying substantial high traffic doors on main entrances to public buildings, sports centres, schools and offices cannot be overstressed. A door failure does give the wrong impression to visitors, is costly to repair and most often becomes apparent when the building is about to be secured for the evening.

Seniors have recently updated their commercial door systems to accommodate a wide range of specialist hardware to cater for most main entrance requirements, including electronic security devises and automatic door systems. Door ‘sets’ can now easily be specified from Seniors new ‘specification catalogue’ which includes standard details for use in drawings in either .dwg and .dxf format.

Seniors designed their original door and framing system back in 1990, since that time the system has been updated several times to cater for more demanding applications. The heavy duty door sets can be installed into both aluminium framing/curtain wall and the award winning Hybrid timber composite system.