The Fenestration Australia 2013 Design Awards’ winners have been announced and showcase the best use of windows and doors in residential and commercial construction.
There are several divisions of the Fenestration awards include the Australian Windows Association Design Awards, the Australian Institute of Surface Finishing Design Awards, the Window Film Association of Australia and New Zealand Design Awards and the Safety Institute of Australia Design Awards.
Australian Windows Association Design Awards
Hanlon Windows won the Best Use of Windows and Doors Residential – New Construction award for its work on the Austinmer Beach House in NSW. High performance glazing solutions were required to ensure the design features could be met as the architect and builder wanted to create a sustainable, thermally efficient home.
The European Window Company in Ballarat was highly commended in the category.
Hanlon Windows also won the Best Use of Windows and Doors Commercial – New Construction category, for the Culburra Beach house in NSW. The brief for the house called for the modification of the house to respond to its dramatic beachfront outlook. The glazing solution transformed the original beach house.
Winning the Best Use of Windows and Doors Commercial – New Construction category, Reynaers Aluminium Australia won for its work on Perth Arena. The complicated nature of the architects/engineers’ design required the window system to accommodate all wind loads, thermal movement, building structural movement, system loads imposed by diagonal transoms, sloped application, glass weights and human impact for barrier loadings.
The Large Showroom of the Year category was won by South Pacific Aluminium Windows and Doors in Edwardstown, SA as it has proven to be a great example of a ‘good showroom is like having a silent salesperson’.
York Glass in Mildura, Victoria won the Small Showroom of the Year category as it showcases high performance and thermally broken windows and doors, offering local home owners, builders, architects and designers the ideal place to experience the value and benefit o high quality window and door solutions.
The Most Innovative Window System award went to Facade Directions Group for the Sapa Powerframe blast mitigation facade system. It is a grid based thermally insulated curtain wall with clamp and clip outer profiles for transport, contemporary building design and construction.
Star8 won the Most Innovative Window Component for its See-Through Solar Glass. Using Building-integrated photovoltaics, where photovoltaic materials are used to replace conventional building materials in parts of the building envelope. It is increasingly being incorporated into construction of new buildings as an ancillary source of electrical power.
Alspec was highly commended for its KidSafe Protection Screen.
Australian Institute of Surface Finishing Design Awards 2013
The Best use of Powder Coating Award – Residential went to Decorative Imaging for the Plenty project in Victoria. The client wanted a timber look without using timber. DecoWood western red cedar finishes on the Capral platinum suite throughout the entire home.
Aluminium Industries, Power Coating Division took away the Best use of Powder Coating Commercial Award for La Trobe University, Victoria. The Institute for Molecular Science (LIMS) has a cellular-like facade for the building, where colourful angular components frame the windows.
Highly commended went to Australian Aluminium Finishing for the Boheme Bondi Project in NSW.
La Trobe University's Institute for Molecular Science. Image: awa.org.au
Window Film Association of Australia and New Zealand Design Awards
Best Use of Window Film – Commercial went to TintFX. TintFX also took home the Best Use of Window Film – Residential for Slate 10 – White Opaque. It was used on the northern facade of the home due to its high heat rejection, glare reduction and external reflection for increased daylight privacy.
Aaron McCarthy of TintFX also won the Installer of the Year Award. He has operated his business for the past 20 years and exhibits great attention to detail while taking clients from conception to creation and installation.
MEP Films was highly commended for its Enerlogic Window Film because it transforms poorly insulated windows into highly energy-efficient windows with revolutionary glass insulation. It provides thermal performance up to that of double-glazing, but at a significantly lower cost.
Safety Institute of Australia Design Awards
Best Use of Skylights award went to Velux for Eco Case. The project called for Velux skylights to act as solar chimneys, sucking out hot air and keeping the home cool on the hottest days.
Showroom of the Year went to Skydome on the Hunter Coast in NSW. The showroom connects with the target markets of home owners, renovators and builders by allowing them to buy off the shelf from a well-stocked storage area, sit down and discuss their plans and see the products in situ.
