The home of the future is smart, efficient, sustainable and comfortable. If there is one element that makes all this possible, it is the window: windows and doors are key to ensuring well-being in the home and are a strategic choice for anyone looking to build or renovate in an informed manner. This article explains how aluminium windows and doors are the perfect window of the future from every point of view.
Why aluminium window and door systems are the windows of the future
In an evolving architectural and residential landscape, even the most traditional elements such as doors and windows cannot help but evolve. To be considered valid products in the future, windows must be able to improve living comfort in domestic and working environments, ensuring high performance in terms of efficient energy use, resistance, eco-sustainability, durability and ease of customisation.
If you want to build or renovate a modern, green and smart home, the most strategic choice you can make is aluminium window and door frames. Choosing aluminium windows and doors means investing in a solution designed to last over time and adapt to the needs of contemporary living:
- maximum thermal and acoustic efficiency;
- high mechanical resistance;
- minimalist and customisable design;
- compatibility with home automation;
- sustainability and circularity of the material.
Below we take a closer look at the features of aluminium as the ideal material for the windows and doors of the ‘house of the future’.
Thermic insulation and efficient energy use
The latest generation of aluminium windows and doors are thermal break, meaning that a noble gas with highly insulating properties is inserted into the frame. Thermal break, a technique that has now been widely optimised and adopted, guarantees excellent insulation, preventing hot or cool air from escaping external to the home. This means that the house will tend to stay warm in winter and cool in summer, opening a door to lower energy consumption for heating and air conditioning systems.
The thermic insulation provided by aluminium window and door therefore leads to discrete efficient energy use, which translates into long-term energy savings. In addition, thermic insulation helps to minimise the possibility of mould and condensation forming, ensuring an ideal microclimate in the home and providing constant living comfort.
Eco-sustainability and respect for the environment
Thanks to the thermic insulation provided by thermal break aluminium windows and the resulting savings on heating and air conditioning costs, efficient energy use is also achieved from an environmental point of view. Furthermore, it should not be forgotten that aluminium is an available material that is 100% recyclable an infinite number of times without any risk of its qualities deteriorating over time. Finally, machining processes for aluminium can be carried out with low environmental impact.
All this leads to a discrete reduction in the home’s environmental footprint, both in terms of materials and pollutants emitted into the air. Aluminium windows therefore contribute to a low-energy, sustainable and smart home, in line with the latest green regulations. Furthermore, they respect the environment throughout their entire life cycle, in line with the principles of the circular economy.
Resistance to atmospheric agents
Of all the materials commonly used to make windows and door, such as wood and PVC, aluminium is undoubtedly the most resistant to atmospheric agents and weathering. Rain, wind, salt, sudden changes in temperature and strong solar radiation do not affect the surface or performance of aluminium; even in extreme weather conditions, the windows and doors remain steady and secure. Furthermore, aluminium does not corrode and is extremely resistant to humidity.
All these features ensure that aluminium windows are designed to withstand climate change and provide long-term protection for the home, even in places where the elements can often put windows and doors to the test, such as by the sea or in the mountains .
Mechanical resistance to fire and burglary
In addition to its resistance to atmospheric agents, aluminium has mechanical resistance that makes it one of the best performing materials for architectural elements in the home (not only windows, but also patio doors, shading systems, entrance doors and internal doors.
Flexible yet strong, aluminium is a fire-proof material and therefore completely resistant to fire. Furthermore, it is a material that does not deform or break easily: especially when combined with advanced closing systems, it offers excellent protection against break-ins. It can therefore be said without a doubt that aluminium windows improve the passive safety of buildings, reducing risks and ensuring maximum peace of mind for residents.
Durability over time
Aluminium windows and doors are resistant to corrosion, wear, weathering and pollutants. Even when used intensively and subjected to violent and constant stress, they maintain their functionality and appearance for decades, even up to 45-50 years.
Aluminium is therefore the window of the future from an investment point of view; a long-term investment that retains its value over time, without the need for frequent replacements. This is an advantage not only from an economic and practical point of view but also, once again, from an environmental point of view.
Greater brightness in internal environments
The mechanic properties of aluminium allow large windows to be made without the need for additional supports and with frame profiles that are only a few centimetres thick. This door opens to the possibility not only to install panoramic windows but also, in the case of normal-sized windows, to maximise the glass surface area, resulting in more natural light inside the home.
Since natural light is essential for physical and mental well-being, aluminium windows with slim profiles contribute to a large dimension in improving the liveability of rooms and the health of those who live there.
Acoustic insulation
The living comfort of the home of the future is also guaranteed by the possibility of living in a quiet environment that is well insulated from external noise. Thanks to profiles designed with soundproofing materials and the use of high-performance glass, aluminium windows and doors offer high soundproofing.
Aluminium windows therefore protect the acoustic well-being of residents, even in high-density urban contexts or in the presence of busy roads. This contributes to improving the quality of life in general, but is even more important in contexts such as offices or home studies, where soundproofing is essential for promoting concentration and productivity at work.
Ease of cleaning and maintenance
The home of the future is also a practical and functional home, where household chores are kept to a minimum for a better quality of life and more time to devote to your favourite activities.
Aluminium is an ideal material in this sense, as it greatly simplifies household management by requiring less time for cleaning and maintenance. Aluminium windows and doors are very easy and quick to clean (the same applies to aluminium internal doors); all you need is a cloth and water, plus a neutral cleaning agent only occasionally. In the case of window and door and shading systems, another important factor in the practicality of the home is maintenance. Aluminium requires virtually no routine or extraordinary maintenance, thanks to its resistance and ability to maintain its qualities over time.
Design, customisation and adaptability to different styles
When talking about the home of the future and long-term investment, aesthetics cannot be overlooked: windows and doors contribute greatly to the overall look of a home, ensuring it is in line with the preferences and needs of those who live there.
Once again, aluminium does not disappoint from this point of view, as it offers maximum versatility in terms of design. Aluminium windows can be made in different shapes and treated in a wide range of colours and finishing: from neutral to bright colours, including pastels; from extra-glossy to opaque finishing, including sandblasted, anodised or wood-effect treatments. Colours and finishing are not achieved using films, which are easily exposed to deterioration over time, but rather through highly reliable and durable painting and oxidation processes.
Furthermore, although aluminium windows and doors are particularly suited to minimalist, modern or industrial style home, the application of colours and finishing makes them ideal for any style of home. For example, you can find windows and doors that are perfectly suited to Nordic or Japandi style home, as well as homes that successfully combine classic and modern style . In short: aluminium enhances every project with dimension aesthetic features, without ever compromising on functionality.
Architectural accessibility
Aluminium solutions adapt to all access requirements and different types of opening. For example, aluminium interior doors can be made with sliding (including concealed) and folding sliding doors. Aluminium patio doors have very thin bottom profiles, so there are no architectural obstacles for the disabled at passage for children and elderly people, the disabled or those with limited mobility.
This point is extremely important, as the home of the future must be inclusive, functional and suitable for all types of space and people. Aluminium allows for all of this, without ever compromising on elegance.
Why METRA Building aluminium windows are the windows of the future
More and more designers, architects, companies and private individuals are choosing aluminium windows and doors as accessories for green, smart and durable buildings. METRA Building has been offering solutions of this type for decades, with a catalogue of products that are synonymous with functionality, performance, innovation, excellent design and Italian quality.
METRA Building aluminium windows and doors are a concrete and tangible representation of the windows of the future. Each product is the result of in-depth research into materials, technology, sustainability and design. The result is a range of windows and doors that meet the needs of contemporary homes, offering:
- maximum living comfort;
- energy and acoustic performance with certification, certificate;
- safety and durability;
- aesthetics dimensioned to each individual project;
- respect for the environment in both the product and the production processes.
In addition, METRA Building uses PosaClima9, the most popular and widespread window and door installation technique in Italy. Proper installation is essential to ensure that windows are perfectly integrated into the structure of the house, preventing draughts, mould and condensation, while ensuring maximum thermic insulation and soundproofing.
Finally, METRA Building products can be combined with the home automation system for the home of the future, where technology and artificial intelligence are at the service of people and their long-term well-being.