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Changing climatic conditions and a growing global trend for getting the most from outdoor living are encouraging ever more sophisticated solutions in the awning systems space, writes Belinda Smart.
ROLLEASE ACMEDA
Designed by renowned Italian industrial designer Mario Mazzer, Feng is Rollease Acmeda’s new flagship awning. It features a beautifully designed, rounded and fully enclosed aluminium cassette. The awning can be configured to span 14 metres in width, with 3.5 metre projection; and its patented design hides screws, brackets and pins to ensure a seamless and contemporary finish.
Aidan Schofield, Mechanical Design Engineer at Rollease Acmeda, says the newly released Feng is attracting strong market interest.
“Armed with high-performance DAT (Dynamic Arm Torsion) system, which prevents the arms ever touching or damaging fabric when moving, Feng is supported by a hidden stainless-steel chain and delivers outstanding mechanical performance. The Feng, like many of our awnings, is also available in kit form, for easy fabrication.”
“With Integrated, bright LED lighting both on the arms of the awning and on the cassette, Feng can easily transition from day through to night use, effectively and beautifully.”
The awning’s rounded shape was designed in response to market demand led by the needs of contemporary builds. “The unique style of Feng contributes to the diverse architectural designs of modern homes. The cassette shape exhibits the latest in minimal design with a symmetrical and balanced shape.”
Another new release, Frame, is Rollease Acmeda’s first-ever retractable roofing system for sun and rain protection. Designed with a slim cassette, the Frame system attaches to existing conservatories and pergolas to create a sheltered area, protected from the elements.
“The frame can be mounted horizontally or vertically and can be pitched to sizes up to six by six metres. The design perfectly conceals the fabric within a slim square cassette; and Frame utilises a premium, high-pressure gas spring system for rattle-free movement and constant tension across the length of the system. Frame can also be configured with our signature side guide technology, Z-Lock, providing tension across all four sides of the fabric.”
“This system comprises the complete solution: Motor, awning and LED with support; functional, decorative and fabricatorfriendly. Not only are we keeping consumers comfortable in their outdoor living spaces both during the day and through the night, but we’re also focused on making the fabrication process as easy as possible. We offer the complete solution, and in kit form, as well as a marketing collateral and technical specification documents that both help sell the system and guide the assembly and installation.”
“An Italian designed, conservatory awning, Frame allows us to target a segment of the market we had yet to interact with. We can now provide a convertible roofing system for modern pergolas and conservatories.”
“The awning systems market seems to be expanding year on year and that presents many opportunities for potential new consumers and trade partners. Outdoor living has always been entwined with Australian culture and now it has taken priority for homes across the world. The challenge for us has been keeping up to date with the new innovations and consumer wants. Many are opting for smart home integrations and motorisation as IoT applications continue to overrun the homes of the future. Our Automate program, coupled with the external awning range, is doing a great job of keeping increasing demand at bay with our everexpanding range of motors, external sensors and smart assistant compatibilities.”
LUXAFLEX
The Luxaflex Evo MagnaTrack Awning has been designed with the increasingly unpredictable Australian climate in mind; a factor that has led to a need for window furnishings that effectively protect against the elements whilst remaining safe, easy to use and aesthetically pleasing.
“Harnessing the power of Rare Earth Neodymium Magnets within the sides of the awning, the Evo MagnaTrack Awning is the most technologically advanced awning available on the market. Engineered and tested in Australia to handle our diverse and unforgiving conditions, its patented magnet technology is the only straightdrop awning system in Australia to boast a self-correcting feature that allows the fabric skin to effortlessly return into its channel if dislodged. Reducing costly service calls immensely, when compared to standard zip systems.”
“The self-correcting feature of the Luxaflex Evo MagnaTrack allows the fabric skin to be fixed quickly and easily using nothing more than the awnings remote control. Engineered in Australia, the magnetic force in the track system allows the fabric to move while under wind pressure as it floats within the channel. Once the wind pressure subsides, the magnetic bond of the neodymium magnets will automatically re-tension the fabric back to its original appearance – a world-first in functionality which goes far beyond what a standard zipped system can do. This technology allows the Luxaflex Evo MagnaTrack Awning to be left down in windy conditions to both enhance and protect your outdoor space.
“Luxaflex Evo MagnaTrack also assists in providing substantial savings on home electricity bills. With up to 87%1 of a home’s heat gain in summer is through the windows, meaning the external shading from Evo Awnings can reduce cooling energy costs by up to 60%2. When combined with Luxaflex Spectra Sunscreen’s ability to eliminate up to 95%3 of heat from solar radiation, the Evo MagnaTrack Awning can offer long term savings and help end users feel comfortable all year round.”
The Luxaflex Evo MagnaTrack is exclusively available with Merger or Somfy motorisation options. It has been designed to integrate seamlessly with the entire Luxaflex Evo Awning range and is available in six colours which coordinate with the most popular Colorbond and Dulux colour palette.
BLINDS BY PETER MEYER
Weinor’s latest awning systems release is folding arm option Kubata, described as “a stunningly new designed awning style with a sleek cubic design.”
“The Kubata awning is designed to align with modern architecture but the cubic design can easily integrate with most architectural styles. We see it being one of the better selling awnings we have in our range. Weinor and Blinds by Peter Meyer now have a range of eight different folding arm awnings that we are importing directly into Australia.”
Available in widths up to 6500mm and 4000mm projections, Kubata’s European award winning design has been constructed around a simple back bar awning design for ease of install and tried and tested strength and rigidity. It also utilises a Weinor water management solution that works when the awning is extended as well as retracted.
“As always, Weinor’s super strong ‘long life’ arms are included with our awnings which are tested to 100 000 cycles which equates to around 20 years of use,” says Managing Director Simon Meyer. “The long life arms ensure that the tension of the awning is the same at day one as it is 20 years down the line. As with all Weinor awnings, all the stress/load points utilise drop forged parts, which is technology used in aircraft grade equipment for when it absolutely must not fail.”
The other key release from Weinor is the Plaza Viva, a retractable textile roof that can be installed where a traditional folding arm awning would not be suitable due to high wind, longer projections required or if fixing points can’t withstand the wind loads a folding arm awning typically brings to wall structures. The Plaza Viva utilises Weinor’s Optistretch technology whereby the fabric is zipped into the side channels. Widths of 6000mm and projections of 5000mm are possible. “This wind stable retractable roof really is building its own sector of the market that sits between a folding arm awning and a fully waterproof retractable roof system, like our Pergotex 2. The telescopic posts allow water to be drained off to the left or the right with ease, making it a cost-effective rain proof retractable roofing system.”
“The exterior market as a whole is a buoyant market,” says Meyer. “Weinor in particular has seen exceptionally strong growth throughout our dealer network across Australia. We still have a number of areas of the Australian market that need coverage for this stunning German brand. We’d encourage any business interested in expanding into this sector of the market, or that wants to offer a premium alternative with German quality – as well as multiple retractable roofing solutions – to consider Weinor as a partner.”
1 Based on research by the Australian Window Association http://www.awa.org.au/documents/item/214.
2 Based on independent modelling conducted by White Box Technologies in conjunction with Peter Lyons & Associates. June 2013. Savings vary based on location, home type and fabric used.
3 See http://www.endurisglasscore.com/ for details.
