A large and logistically challenging student accommodation project in North London, constructed for sector specialist Unite, has seen Sealtite Windows and TECHNAL – part of the Hydro Group - renew their long working relationship to successfully deliver a fenestration and curtain-walling package.

Handed over in time for the current academic year, Stapleton House is a design and build project by Balfour Beatty Construction Services, which has created 862 high specification student spaces across nine floors. Significantly the property is located by the very busy Holloway Road and therefore required an enhanced acoustic rating for each elevation facing the public highway; as well as the achievement of high thermal, weather and security standards throughout.

Sealtite, together with TECHNAL’s technical support team, duly delivered a mix of Elegance 52 curtain Walling and Dualframe 75 Si casement windows: the latter featuring TECHNAL’s Eco vent. From the earliest pre-contract stage, the two companies cooperated with Balfour Beatty’s architectural consultancy, ArchitecturePLB: providing detailed drawings as well as strength calculations and thermal calculations, together with information on acoustic testing.

The Sales Director for Sealtite Windows, Rob Cherry, reflected: “We were on site for a full year up until completion in August and Stapleton House is now handed over to Unite. Amongst the challenges of the project was addressing the acoustic requirement for the Holloway Road elevation, which we did by fitting high specification 20-12-8 IG units – containing solar control glass - along with careful attention to gaskets and other details.”

“The on-site challenges stemmed from the size of the site and loading out all the frames and some very large curtain wall sections onto each deck: ready for fitting. TECHNAL assisted us from the very first stages of the project, getting involved with the technical specifications, working out the acoustic calculations and other requirements, then supporting us with prompt deliveries throughout the installation work. It is a job that has gone fantastically well and everyone involved is delighted with the outcome.”

The Project Director for Balfour Beatty, Chris Abbot, commented: “This was a very large project, but one where we achieved the milestone deadlines required. The client is very pleased overall while - in respect of the fenestration - both Unite and ourselves have used TECHNAL and Sealtite successfully in the past. We would like to thank them and their teams for their hard work.”

Elegance 52 ST curtain walling is an externally capped, thermally broken curtain wall system that offers many design options through the use of different mullions and cover caps. It can deliver very good energy and acoustic performance as well as the aesthetic appearance to suit different property types from residential and retail to education or commercial.

Also stylish in design while offering multiple opening configurations, TECHNAL’s Dualframe 75 Si range is proving very popular in sectors such as social housing, as well as education. Not only does the uniquely designed polyamide break help it offer U-values down to 0.9 W/m2K, but Dualframe was the first aluminium system to achieve an A++ Window Energy Rating with its tilt before turn window. Additionally PAS 24 has been achieved on every style including tilt-before-turn and pivot.

The student accommodation sector is one of the fastest growing and most challenging parts of the property market, and one where Unite has established a reputation for providing high quality developments. Stapleton House offers a standout example of how Technal Group’s high performance and very flexible systems can be successfully delivered via its national network of fabrication partners, whatever the challenges.

TECHNAL is part of the Hydro Group, a world leader in aluminium solutions. Through its globally renowned Hydro Technology Hubs, the Group is shaping a sustainable future, with innovative products that satisfy and surpass customer expectations, in line with demands of CSR and increasing environmental regulations.