What trends are you seeing in modern window systems in India?
There is an increase in demand for well-designed windows and doors which also provide the right acoustic and natural light balance, have low energy consumption, and require little maintenance. Growth is seen in aluminium and UPVC windows (as opposed to traditional wooden and metallic frames) as these have emerged as sustainable and qualitative options. They are not only highly functional but are also aesthetic with clean, crisp finishes.
What gives ALCOI products an edge over other competing brands?
Our products have various features that create a benchmark for high quality and smooth functionality, some of which are:
- Composite window system: This system is made up of sliding, fixed and casement panels in its single window system. In fact, all these features are an integral part of the ALCOI Window System and can be installed as one unit.
- Covered Track: This is on the outside and inside of the window. ALCOI has introduced a cover track so that dust does not settle on the tracks and to cover the exposed profile grooves for better aesthetics.
- Concealed Weep Holes: Weep holes are designed to be in concealed locations because plastic cover parts are no longer required; moreover, they give a clean and refined finish.
- Flush Look: There is a flushed outer frame that gives a uniform look as there is an option to conceal it from the inside and the outside.
- Reinforced Mullion: This is provided to withstand higher wind pressure with an option of slim and classic interlock mullions.
- Screwless corner cleat: This connects the horizontal profile with the vertical profile without screws.
- Multipoint locking: Inlaid locks are integrated into the lateral upright without any visual fixation. We offer multiple designs and coloured handle options - with or without cylinder key locking operation. The sliding shutter has two-point locking with cylinder key locking operation.
- Anti-lift plug: This accessory guards against theft and absorbs the shutter impact over the outer frame.
- SS 304/ Aluminium (mill finish) rail: An SS or aluminium rail is provided to maintain the lustre of the rails and make them durable for a longer period. The rail enables a smooth sliding movement due to the INOX sliding tracks, and the shutters have self-adjusting double nylon or SS rollers and theft guards.
All our windows have structural stability calculated as per IS 875 Part III. With the inherent strength of aluminium and our well-engineered sizes, our windows are extremely robust and hard to wear down. Our aluminium window range comes with high security features like in-built, multipoint locking systems and an option or cylinder key mechanism, and provision for installation of security systems such as magnetic sensors.
What after-sales services does the company offer?
The innate qualities of aluminium make the material more resistant to physical damage, so it is less likely to corrode and can withstand complex environmental conditions. The company, however, offers preventive maintenance and cleaning of windows twice a year and includes a warranty against breakage of glass at the site after the installation is complete, for a year with a 10-year warranty for all its systems. We also offer packaging and cleaning of the fenestration systems after their installation.
ALCOI offers site-specific window systems which seamlessly bring light, air, functionality, transparency, and a balanced visual solution - merging indoor and outdoor spaces; this is made possible because our systems are conceptualised through a combination of engineering and a nuanced design approach rooted in science, colour and craftsmanship
Nitin Mehta, ALCOI
What makes ALCOI window systems eco-friendly and customisable?
Aluminum as a material has the least effect on the climate, the least maintenance requirements, is recyclable, and has resale value.
With two panes of glass, the eco-efficiency of our window systems becomes the gold standard for both replacement and new windows. Wide glass infill range enables use of performance glass as per geographical location of the windows, along with use of gaskets for thermal expansion and contraction of glass and aluminium.
Doors and windows that are considered to have sustainable qualities must be especially good at creating a seal between the outside and the inside, and a large part of energy conservation is about reducing heat or cold exchange with the outdoors.
We have double gasket sealing and multiple point locking (with concealed latching arrangement). Pressure equalization is considered, and Dual Gasket System (EPDM) is used for noise reduction and air/watertight working. Wool pile with central fin gives better weather resistance. All these features give our windows smooth functioning, high thermal resistance, and noiseless operation.
To give an example, for the Lopez Design Studio - DADA Partners’ project, a green building consultant was engaged and our aluminium systems were proposed with performance glass to achieve the required energy performance of the building.
We provide site-specific frames and a wide range of profiles, with different moments of inertia, and ensure economic application for varied structural requirements. For instance, in the Stacked House project of Studio Lotus, there was a PEB structure made in MS; we had to turn around our fully finished windows to fit them into the pre-engineered, prefabricated building.
