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Feature - Aluminium
Composite Panels Build the Future
Aluminium composite panels are the hi-tech route to sustainable,
contemporary buildings that marry style and utility, writes
TEJASWINI PATWARDHAN.
The skyline of every Indian metro is undergoing a dramatic
transformation with the building boom. Skyscrapers, shopping
malls, theme parks and swank apartment buildings all speak
to an aesthetic sensibility and technical execution that are
completely world-class.
“Whether it is through the media or his own globetrotting
experience, a middle-class Indian, at least in the metros,
is being exposed to the best in the world,” says Rishiraj
Kulkarni, Partner, Rishiraj Builders. “Cities and buildings
in India now have to reflect this modern attitude and lifestyle
trend.” That’s why, according to Kulkarni, advanced
building materials such as aluminium composite panels (ACP)
are in great demand as they endow structures with an international,
contemporary feel.
The advantages
“ACP is mainly used to give the building façade
a modern look and for aesthetically covering beams, columns
and pillars,” he says. “It is widely used in the
construction for the industrial, commercial and entertainment
sectors.” Another advantage Kulkarni elaborates upon
is the fact that ACP requires only occasional cleaning compared
to conventional RCC structures that need to be repainted,
which makes it cost-effective and easier to maintain.
Sonal Shah, PR Manager, Eurobond, one of the premier suppliers
of ACP, agrees, adding, “ACP is also extra-resistant
against corrosion, chalking, and colour fading. It protects
from dampness and seepage and is environment-friendly. ACP
is also lighter and stronger than conventional materials like
marble or granite. Thanks to the fact that aluminium can be
painted in any kind of colour, ACP is produced in a wide range
of metallic and non-metallic colours as well as patterns that
imitate other materials, such as wood or marble.”
Thus, the growing popularity of ACP comes as no surprise.
“Today, as more and more residential complexes and business
districts come up, it is aesthetically necessary to have uniformity
in the way buildings look,” says Kulkarni. “Hiranandani
Gardens in Mumbai has a particular architectural style, so
has Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC),” he adds quoting the
guidelines in structural glazing and ACP laid down by the
governing body of BKC.
ACP is usually used for commercial buildings like multiplexes
and shopping malls. “You will see a lot of our buildings
in Andheri and Bandra in Mumbai,” she says. “I
am not very sure how widely ACP is used in the residential
buildings sector.” For his part, Kulkarni will use it
in a residential project at Mahim. “It is a 23-storied
residential tower that will house high-profile executives
and industrialists,” he explains. “They are people
who have travelled the world and definitely want their residence
to have an international touch. The building façade
will not have ACP but I am using it for the fins and terrace
parabola. I am sure my clients will appreciate it.”
Shah reveals that the only problem her company sometimes faces
is the need to educate contractors properly about what the
client wants. “There also needs to be an increase in
the awareness levels of the benefits of using ACP,”
she adds.
Brand equity
So which ACP brand should a contractor use?
Contractor Jitendra Ochani says he normally uses the ACP brand
recommended by the builder. “We are the link between
a builder and a supplier,” he says. “Once the
builder gives us a go, it is our responsibility to buy ACP
material from the supplier and take it to the end task. In
my many years of work, I have never faced a problem with ACP.”
But Kulkarni does things differently. “I normally give
the entire contract to the ACP supplier,” he says. “The
suppliers have their own contractors. This way, neither the
supplier nor the contractor can have problems with each other.”
According to Ochani, big names in the ACP supply sector are
Alubond, Viva, Eurobond and Sunbond. “Our clients mostly
prefer one of these brands,” he says.
Commenting on the cost-effectiveness of ACP, Kulkarni said
that though there is only a marginal difference in the cost
of ACP and conventional material, ACP emerges as more cost-effective
in the long run as it is easier to maintain and lasts longer.
“The price range of ACP normally ranges between Rs 80
and Rs 180 per sheet, inclusive of fabrication,” says
Ochani. “From my experience, I can see the gradual shift
from conventional materials to ACP. Now, even midsized builders
are endorsing a trend started by big names.” And with
ACP being the perfect marriage between style and utility,
the trend is undoubtedly here to stay.
Why ACP?
• Lightweight and high strength and density: ACP’s
excellent ratio of rigidity to weight is superior to solid
aluminium and steel. The weight of these panels is about 40
per cent less than aluminium sheets though the form is structurally
more stable.
• Weatherproof and good UV resistance: ACP panels are
weatherproof and have good UV resistance. They remain unaffected
in salty, sand, coastal or dusty atmosphere.
• Excellent flatness and good anti-scratching surface:
ACP panels enjoy smooth and excellent flatness and provide
an anti-scratch surface, thus eliminating distortion or deflection.
• Versatility: ACP has good flexibility and can fit
various designs. These panels can be bent, cut, drilled, punched
and easily shaped to achieve complex designs by using standard
wood and metal working tools.
• Resistance to blow and breakage: ACP has high-impact
resistance. The unique composite construction of strong aluminium
skins firmly bonded to visco elastic core provides high impact,
blow, vibration and breakage resistance.
• Colour uniformity: With the new roll-colour costing
system, which is applied to aluminium coils, you get the best
colour uniformity and consistency of high quality.
• Reduction of dead weight of the building: ACP weighs
less than 1/10th of conventional cladding materials such as
marble, granite and concrete. Thus it reduces the dead weight
of the building, making it safer and strong from the dangers
of an earthquake.
• Quick and simple installation: Being lightweight,
ACP can be easily and quickly installed, saving time and costs.
• Excellent in heat and sound insulation: ACP provides
excellent sound-proof effect. The laminated polyethylene core,
being one of the best insulating materials, prevents heat
from penetrating in the buildings, thus saving on air-conditioning
and energy costs.
• Fire-resistance: ACP has a non-combustible PE core,
which meets fire-code requirements. Another benefit is that
it does not emit toxic gases.
• Resistance to water, acid and alkali: ACP has high-quality
PVDF resin that ensures extra resistance against water, chemical,
corrosion, chalking and colour fading.
• Easy maintenance: Annual cleaning with mild detergent
is enough to keep the surface shining.
• Environment-friendly: Being absolutely recyclable
and reusable in the production cycle, it leaves no harmful
effect on the environment.
Quick Bytes
• ACP is widely used in the construction for the industrial,
commercial and entertainment sectors and is cost-effective
and easy to maintain.
• It is eco-friendly as it is recyclable and reusable,
leaving no harmful effects on the environment.
“Cities and buildings in India now have to reflect
a modern attitude and lifestyle trend.”
Rishiraj Kulkarni, Partner,
Rishiraj Builders
“There needs to be an increase in the awareness levels
of the benefits of using ACP.”
Sonal Shah,
PR Manager,
Eurobond
Feature - Aluminium Composite Panels
The ACP Advantage
Every architect dreams of a marriage of form and function.
Making this union possible are aluminium composite panels
(ACPs). A world-class sensibility, contemporary aesthetic
with a wide range of colours, freedom from maintenance, better
resistance against the elements, lightweight and high strength,
superior insulation, ease of installation and environment-friendliness
are some of the many reasons that ACPs are becoming increasingly
popular in the building community. CW takes a look at two
state-of-the-art projects that have used ACP - with great
success.
Eurobond Industries Pvt Ltd
Project Name:
Maruti Impex - Bhavnagar
Products used:
Grade - 4mm Platinum, Pure White, Metallic Blue
Quantity used:
19,000 sq ft.
Challenges faced:
Not really
New material or technology used: N/A
Project cost:
Around Rs 19.5 lakh
Alu Bond Enterprise
Project Name: Mind Space Prism Tower;
Owner - K Raheja Corp
Products used: Type - HB - I, Shade - AL - 01, AL - 26
Quantity used: Around 2.5 lakh sq ft of ACP material
Challenges faced: Huge quantity, regular supply and shade
had to be maintained for a long duration.
New material or technology used: The hot catalytic fusion
process or E - I process for manufacturing the product.
Project cost: Approx cost of the ACP supplied is around Rs
2.75 crore
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