ABSTRACT
The principle is to provide a back-ventilated and drained flat panel cladding envelope that is erected over or around existing structures to protect those structures from the effects of changing atmospheric conditions. The earliest examples, at a time when aluminium was a relatively new material trying to break into markets held by other materials, were copies of corrugated iron designs. The use of prepainted material is a current-day standard, with mill-finish metal generally used only on non-visible areas. Applications too, have broadened dramatically in scope, ranging from power stations to leisure centres, airport terminals, office buildings and mosques. The versatility of fabrication with aluminium sheet means that virtually any detail required can be accommodated. Rigid flashings in a range of finishes to match the roofing finish – mill finish, stucco, alocrom or painted – are complemented by soft aluminium high-purity flashing available in rolls for on-site forming operations.
