For architects and specifiers, the relevant question is not whether aluminium has the lowest impact at the point of manufacture, but whether it delivers durable performance with minimal maintenance and a credible end-of-life pathway. Viewed across the whole building life cycle, long-lasting aluminium systems can reduce replacement, refinishing, disruption and material waste.

As sustainability thinking has evolved, decisions based on the up-front footprint of a material are making way for a more robust, life cycle-based understanding. Metals are one of the categories of product where claims around strength, recyclability, emissions footprints and durability all get weighed in the balance by architects and specifiers.

Metals including steel, galvanised iron and aluminium are used for purposes including framing, roofing, wall cladding, window and door assemblies and architectural features.

There is a tendency, however, for designers and specifiers to consider aluminium as a “lightweight compromise” when it comes to major building systems.

It is often misrepresented as weaker, less durable, less fire-safe and less sustainable than alternatives including brick, cement panels, or galvanised iron for applications such as facades or feature walls.

Not all metals mean rust

Many specifiers and clients when they hear the word “metal” immediately think of “rust”, which in the case of galvanised iron and ductile iron can be true. Copper, brass, nickel and standard steel also all have vulnerabilities in terms of corrosion and discolouration, although in the case of copper, the Verdigris is often a desired aesthetic weathering effect.

It is important to distinguish between aluminium composite products and solid aluminium systems. Composite products may have unique vulnerabilities that are the result of the other materials, not the aluminium.

Choosing the right product for the context is key. In coastal or harsh environments, selecting unsuitable materials or finishes can lead to premature corrosion, aesthetic failure and warranty disputes.

Aluminium lends itself to a range of finishes that are certified as appropriate for demanding climates.

DECO-SUS-3-Sustainability-Myths+Misconceptions-Photo-Shannon-Voss.jpg — *Image by Shannon Voss*

Light by design, strong where it matters.

In the contemporary construction industry, where managing cost, time and productivity are key, lightweight materials offer many advantages. Sustainability trends also intersect, with expectations around minimising embodied carbon and lifecycle material footprints. Concrete products in particular can have high upfront emissions footprints and limitations on end-of-life recyclability or re-use potential.

One of the concerns some architects may have is whether “lightweight” equates to “fragile” in terms of strength, durability to the elements and other life cycle attributes.

As a metal, aluminium has important mechanical properties. These are the physical characteristics of a material including tensile strength, integrity, reactivity, conductivity and recyclability. For aluminium, these are seen in performance aspects including strength, corrosion resistance, excellent fire performance, low maintenance requirements and exceptional recyclability. It is, in fact, one of the few metals that can be recycled infinitely with no loss of mechanical properties.

From the perspective of DECO Australia, this means aluminium embodies many critical aspects of sustainability, including a long useable life, low maintenance requirements and full end of life recyclability.

Essentially, aluminium can be used to create robust, long-term architectural materials.

DECO-SUS-3-Sustainability-Myths+Misconceptions-Haaus-Photo-Tim-Shaw-1.jpg — *Haaus 6, Photographer: Tim Shaw*

The long view of sustainability

To achieve whole-of-life performance, architects need to look beyond the site gate procurement information, to the whole lifespan of the project and its constituent parts. Upfront materials that appear sound on paper may come with high demands for ongoing care, maintenance, repair and repainting.

This adds to the total cost of ownership and creates an ongoing material footprint for the associated products such as stains, preservatives, coatings, paint and accessories. There is also the disruption to consider of needing to have works occurring when the building is occupied.

A product that lasts longer, needs less maintenance, performs in harsher environments and can re-enter the material cycle at end of life is almost always a stronger sustainability choice than a product that looks “natural” but requires regular replacement or refinishing.

Any product that needs to be replaced also means there is an damaged or degraded product that may need to go to landfill, if it cannot be recycled into new products. From an environmental perspective, that detracts even further from life cycle sustainability and places more demand on the planet and production process for new raw materials.

Specified currently, aluminium’s durability and recyclability mean it can support a more circular, lower-maintenance design strategy and reduce life cycle costs, disruption and resource use.

DECO-SUS-3-Sustainability-Myths+Misconceptions-Haaus-Photo-Tim-Shaw.jpg — *Haaus 6, Photographer: Tim Shaw*

Aluminium suitable for Australian conditions

DECO Australia offers Australian-made solid aluminium building products with durable powder-coated and timber-look finishes. These products, including DecoClad®, DecoBatten® and DecoDeck® have been designed and engineered for durability, bushfire compliance options, and timeless design.

They also ensure architects can still achieve some of the key aesthetic trends, without losing the advantages of aluminium’s life cycle attributes.

For example, the timber-look DecoWood® finishes give designers the appearance of natural wood materials with the assurance of the Super DurableTM finish and precision of DECO’s sublimation process.

DecoWood® and DecoCoat® finishes have also meet the rigorous international Qualicoat and Qualicoat Seaside accreditations. These licenses require third party verification and extensive testing of both the constituents of the architectural powder coating and the application and finishing process.

This gives designers and specifiers assurance of the products’ life cycle durability and resistance to degradation even in harsh coastal settings and climates with high humidity and hot summer temperatures.

Light on the planet, not light on performance

In choosing aluminium products for architectural applications that align with ambitious sustainability approaches, look at the whole life cycle.

Consider contextual impacts including robustness, resilience, and suitability for fire-exposed, harsh and demanding conditions. That means looking for solid aluminium construction rather than combustible-core composite products for external applications including facades, cladding and decking.

Also look for manufacturer documentation that shows third-party certifications, testing and quality assurance, particularly for those performance factors that contribute to a lightweight life cycle footprint. That includes assurances for relevant bushfire zone ratings, data on the raw materials and their provenance, and information on end-of-use recyclability.

Hero Image: Binaville Project, Photographer: Lucas Muro

Durability as a green strategy: Why long-lasting aluminium wins points

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