Mr. Om Prakash Goel was stressed out. His only daughter was getting married to the scion of one of India’s largest construction companies. The wedding had to be grand and the food - memorable as guests finally remember a marriage only by the food served. And he had to choose the caterer today! He had four choices. [caption id="" align="alignright" width="392"] Mock-up of skylight system[/caption] Shub Catering: a company that claims to be the biggest in the business -capacity to feed 5000 people in one sitting. The owner was a friend of a friend. Feedback from the market: sometimes the food is good - other times -so so. Deliciously Yours: Owned by a NRI from Canada who promised gourmet food sourced worldwide. Good testimonials from expat Indian UK, US and Canada about the food. But he was new in India and was just settling down. Badhai Ho: A local caterer...

With the Slidefix, Renson provides a fabric sun protection solution for both sliding windows, large areas of permanent glass and corner sliding windows. This new type of fabric sun protection follows the sideways motion of a sliding glass door. It’s a motion that’s actually quite logical and, especially, very practical: in this manner, a sliding window also stays perfectly usable as a passageway even with sun protection installed. When developing this Slidefix, close attention was paid to the invisible integration of the various elements. Both the cassette and the edge guides of the Slidefix are integrated discreetly into the façade. The cassette is recessed behind the hardware, while the certified ‘Connect&Go’ technology still makes it possible to install and uninstall the fabric tube and motor easily. The lower guide is installed in such a way that it fits in at floor level both inside and outside. This lower rail also...

ZAK WORLD OF FACADES 2nd September 2016 - Hyatt Regency, New Delhi The 22nd edition of Zak World of Facades completes successfully in Delhi with a turnout of more than 400 delegates. The key focus of the event was “Shaping a Smarter and Safer Tomorrow in Façade Design & Engineering”. The building envelope remains one of the most important exterior elements for building functionality. It is the component that defines the significance of a building and also plays many critical roles related to the overall functioning and energy performance of a building. The Zak World of Facades is the largest conference series on facade design & engineering in the region and has become a specialized forum to discuss the latest innovations and challenges in the construction industry pertaining to the building envelope. Now in its 22nd edition globally and 16th edition in India, the conference also showcased the latest technological...

  WFM: Please brief on the importance of right hardware for windows? Atul Anand (AA): A window is basically made up of glass, profiles, gaskets and hardware. In some countries there are safety standards that the windows should meet - for example in Germany they have the safety standards RC1, RC2, RC3 etc. Hardware is used to create multi point locking which makes the windows safe and to meet such standards. It is through the hardware that correct gasket compression is controlled. It ensures that the sash has the right pressure so that the window is sealed and yet compression WFM: s not so much that it affects the life of the gasket. In case the window is not sealed properly, there will be air, sound and water leakages.   WFM: What are the criteria for selection of architectural hardware for facades and fenestrations? Atul Anand (AA): There are various...

Rajan Aggarwal is an alumnus of the School of Planning & Architecture(SPA), New Delhi. A Gold medallist in Masters in Product Design, with more than 20 years of experience in Metal Architecture. He believes in the right mix of aesthetics and functionality while designing a product. “We engineer aesthetic at Ozone by keeping all functional Aspects, Raw material & Pricing in mind while developing any product”. He visions establishing Ozone as the leader of Architectural Hardware & Security Solutions in the Global Market. Under his leadership, Ozone is the fastest growing brand in the Indian market, constantly innovating for the better.

THE GRID, an innovative office complex built in the Essen inner-city only 300 metres from the central railway station, was based on a design by Hamburg-based BN Architekten for Essen’s Schenker AG. It provides space for 900 workplaces and covers just less than 30,000 square meters of total floor area across eight office building floors. It also includes 221 parking spaces on two underground garage floors. The property’s extraordinary depth provided a particular challenge for the designers. However, they were able to create economic floor plans, which enable all employees’ workplaces to be bathed in light from behind through almost room height windows. Sommer design & security, from Döhlau near Hof/Saale, supplied facade elements with over 1,000 opening windows. For THE GRID, the German family-owned company developed a design in which the advanced Roto hardware technology guarantees the durability of the over 1,000 integrated window sashes. THE GRID was developed...

The elite conference from the house of Zak Group on façade design and engineering successfully completed its 15th Indian edition in Bangalore. The second conference in 4th season, Zak World of Façades, Bangalore revolved around the theme of responsible façade execution to harness sustainability. The one-day conference, held at Hotel ITC Gardenia, Bangalore on 15th July, saw a never-before gathering of some of the most prominent and appreciated names from the construction industry in India and abroad, sharing their expertise and experience in order to achieve the best façade execution practices. The cosmopolitan city of Bangalore has grown manifolds organically in the last couple of decades. The city is constantly striving to strike a sustainable balance between its ever-growing industry and residential population. Building façades play an irrefutable role in the functionality of a building and determine its prowess to provide comfortable accommodation while giving an exceptional experience. Needless to...

Façade and fenestration are often considered the biggest hurdle in achieving higher levels of energy efficiency in buildings. Buildings have evolved from being predominantly passive systems to having high levels of internal control due to the addition of man-made materials. With the increase in artificial lighting in buildings in the 20th century, the size of fenestrations was reduced significantly as well as dependency on them. They now occupy only about 15 to 20 per cent of wall surface area and play many roles including supplying daylight, providing views, acting as ventilators, noise and heat insulators and glare protectors. Windows not only add to aesthetics but are also a significant component of heating and cooling costs. [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="160"] Ar. Vivek Bhole, Chairman & Managing Director, Vivek Bhole Architects Pvt. Ltd[/caption] Building owners opt for the most efficient façade and fenestration system which contributes to energy conservation and, thereby operational...

  India has taken a leap in fenestration product technology. The use of alternate materials such as UPVC and aluminium instead of traditional wood not only furthers green initiatives but also reduces costs in the long run. Lingel, a German-based veteran and one of the leading manufacturers of high-quality doors and windows in Europe entered the Indian market in the year 2006 with Mario Schmidt at its helm. With a meagre workforce and little experience of the nascent Indian market, it wasn’t a cakewalk for the company and Mario to reach where they are now. Mario Schmidt, Director, of Lingel Windows and Doors, shares the details of his journey of 10 years in the Indian sub-continent, the growth of his company and the industry, their newly launched product and his company’s future plans with WFM. WFM: Please give us a brief background of your group and your products. Mario Schmidt (MS):...

If some of the myth were actually true, uPVC fenestration would not have achieved world-wide acceptance and recognition. Besides, uPVC would not have entered the extremely challenging Indian fenestration market. But I dare to suggest that uPVC was actually invented for India. Coping with hot dry climate and hot humid climate; compensating for temperatures ranging from minus 10°C to plus 50°C; providing a non-corrosive framing alternative for India’s 7500 km long coast line; being thermite resistant; being dust and sound proof; have a negligible water absorption; being colourfast and durable, being energy efficient, environmental friendly etc. is quite a tall order! If someone would have asked, 60 years ago, top European engineers to develop a frame material that can meet India’s varied environment, they might have said “It is impossible, it cannot be done!” but decades of ongoing research & development and rigorous testing resulted into a material proposition which...

Zak World of Facades, 22nd April 2016, ITC Maratha Hotel, Mumbai After the stupendous success of the initial three seasons, the fourth season of the Zak World of Facades conference series kicked start in Mumbai on 22nd April at ITC Maratha, with an all-new emphasis on the National Building Code and an every pressing issue of the fire safety and the return on investment for facades. The one-day conference held at Hotel ITC Maratha, Mumbai, on 22nd April, saw a never-before gathering of some of the most prominent and appreciated names from the construction industry in India and abroad, sharing their expertise and experience in order to achieve the best façade execution practices. As the city’s buildings face some particular challenges with respect to providing sustainable accommodation and working abodes, façades play an irrefutable role in their functionality. Needless to say, this edition exhibited some of the finest facade products...

29th January 2016 The Gateway Hotel, Ernakulam, Kochi The 7th edition of ‘World of Windows’ was held on 29th January, at The Gateway Hotel, Ernakulam, Kochi. World of Windows by ZAK has always been the harbinger of technology and unprecedented networking opportunities for the fenestration industry. Continuing the endeavour, another successful conference culminated in the Port City of Kochi, Kerala. The 7th edition of ZAK World of Windows took place in the Ball Room of The Gateway Hotel by Taj, in the picturesque Marine Drive area of Ernakulam, Kochi, rendered yet another success story where delegates from the architect, developer, and window contractor fraternity attended and witnessed the enlightening presentations and interacted with the panellists during the discussion session. Windows are an integral part of timeless architecture, crucial in enhancing the functionality of the buildings. A typical fenestration component suffices the basic requirements of light and ventilation, but along the...

Wood has been the preferred material for making doors and windows of the houses. But in the last few years wood windows have lost their charm because of numerous problems like jamming, warping, not being weatherproof, prone to termites, fungus and decay, etc., due to the ordinary design, manufacturing and finishing methods. Because of these problems, more and more people are looking at alternatives like uPVC or aluminium windows. The problem with these types of materials is that one cannot get the rich feel and grace of wood. Therefore, these materials are only popular at the lower end of buyers. The high-end houses that want a rich look and feel still prefer wood windows despite all the flaws. Wooden windows in India are done in a very traditional way. These are fabricated on-site by the local woodworking craftsmen using conventional tools. The wood is procured from local wood suppliers and...

A 20’ tall pivoted door (given name of “Giraffe” Door) in Burma Teak wood that opens effortlessly welcomes guests to the double heights space well lit by pergola covered skylight. 83’ long skylight throughout the residence binds all functions together like a spine. All public areas interconnect each other with large fenestrations that can be opened to merge connecting spaces. Exposed concrete is used as primary material of construction. West and south facing external walls of bedrooms area are cladded with Navonna Beige Travertino handpicked from quarry in Tivoli (Rome), Italy. Garden facing (east side) public areas of the residence are fully glazed. Thermally insulated Aluminium fenestration system is used with security glass throughout the residence. All the lights and electrical switches in the expo [caption id="" align="alignright" width="392"] All public areas interconnect each other with large fenestrations[/caption] sed RCC walls and ceiling are finalized at the drawing stage and...

For the general public, it is unimaginable how much effort, skill and know-how is required nowadays to fill a hole in the wall with any window or door frame. There are numerous vital, virtually unknown steps, applicable to all frame materials before a window or door frame can be actually manufactured and installed. In the new build market, most uPVC window companies when receiving an inquiry or an invitation to tender for a sizeable window and door contract fall into a state of euphoria and excel in providing comprehensive computer-generated quotations almost instantly. In the new build market, price matters foremost but surprisingly after the first price submission, questions like “Do the frames cope with the local wind pressure?” or “What hardware has been quoted?” lead most of the time to a re-submission of the prices because the interpretation of the fabricator and the expectation of the architect/Feature contractor sometimes...

Ozone Overseas is a Metal Doors manufacturer with customizable solutions. They are manufactured in its newly established state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. Ozone range of metal doors includes Fire Rated Doors, Clean Room Doors, Industrial Doors and Partition doors suiting varied requirements. These Metal Doors are manufactured as per site conditions depending on the door size available & safety norms laid out by the national building safety authority & local fire-fighting and municipal authorities. Ozone Metal Fire Doors are tested for 2 hours fire rating by CBRI, Roorkee. All Fire Doors are factory finished with epoxy primer and polyurethane-finish paint as per size. It is available in different designs such as Solid, Top Glaze, Full Glaze, Full Glaze with Transom, Half Glaze Louver,Louver, Full Louver, Square Vision, Round Vision, Vision Rectangle, Top Louver, Louver Top and Bottom, Transom & Transom with Louver. Ozone offers a range of fire-rated door hardware that are...