Aluminum for Green Architecture

Ductility, excellent mechanical performance and sustainability are just some of the specific features that make aluminum an exceptionally suitable material for the needs of contemporary architecture. And Hydro really fits perfectly into this world. Founded in 1905, it has grown to have over 34,000 employees across 140 locations in more than 40 countries, making it one of the largest manufacturers in the aluminum industry, especially for façade, window and door systems. These are not the only segments in which it operates, with a strong presence in many other markets, including energy, metals recycling and renewable resources.

These days, one of the load-bearing pillars of the company’s philosophy is a commitment to a more sustainable supply chain, with a reduced carbon footprint. At the heart of achieving this is using innovative methods to turn natural resources into products and solutions, leveraging its extensive knowledge of aluminum and its experience, know-how and technologies to optimize performance.

Such an approach is backed up by the numbers: 70% of Hydro’s primary manufacturing uses renewable energy sources, achieving an emission ceiling of 4 kg of CO₂ for every kg of aluminum produced. This is quite a striking difference when placed in a global context, where the average is up to 18 kg of CO₂ emitted per kg of product. The Hydro Circal^® alloy, to provide an example of an element found in all of the group’s latest and most innovative systems, is used in a range of products with a minimum of 75% recycled, post-consumer aluminum scrap. This results in an exceptionally low impact, with an environmental footprint of less than 2.3 kg CO₂ per kg of aluminum produced.

In addition, some of Hydro’s plants, such as the one in Atessa, Italy, have obtained Aluminum Stewardship Initiative (ASI) certification for responsible management of the entire aluminum production chain. Located in the central Italian province of Chieti, this plant plays a key role in distributing systems under the Wicona and Domal brands.

Wicona, of German origin, specializes in façade engineering, with most solutions custom-designed for a specific project, which is how systems that merge esthetics with efficiency and functionality are often created. This brand’s portfolio also includes doors, windows, sliders and solar shading. Some of its most iconic projects are the 35XV tower in New York designed by FXCollaborative and built by Italian façade specialist Intercom, the 520 W 28^th Street residential complex in the heart of Manhattan designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, and the new BNP Paribas Headquarters called Metal 57, designed by Dominique Perrault Architecture, in Boulogne-Billancourt in Paris, where the façades are characterized by customized cells and projecting aluminum moldings.

Domal is a brand that specializes in building solutions for residential architecture, such as the two villas that involved Chiari Bruno – a window and door manufacturer – one in the Po Valley in northern Italy and one on the Spanish island of Menorca, designed by Mario Cassinelli and Luciana Braghini, respectively. Domal was also used for a villa designed by architect Riccardo Cottino in Santa Teresa di Gallura, on the Italian island of Sardinia, through the work of window and door fitter Di Pellegrini.