uPVC with multiple qualities is one of the most preferred material of the future.

- Santhosh Kumar, Vice Chairman - Anarock Property Consultants

“The next likely leap is expected to be on the sustainable and eco-friendly façade developments which will focus on energy conservation and reduced dependency on fossil fuels”, says Santhosh Kumar, Vice Chairman - Anarock Property Consultants. Excerpts from the interview…

How do you assess the market for cladding and facades and fenestration?

Driven by a phenomenal growth in real estate and infrastructure developments in India, demand for façade and fenestration products have seen remarkable rise over the last few years. Despite the temporary challenges due to the pandemic, the industry is likely to grow further in the near future.

How do you assess the shift towards more of performance-centric facades in commercial and residential projects? 

With cities going vertical, there is an inherent demand and need for sound structural and environmental-friendly products that further add to people's wellbeing and productivity. The aesthetic appeal and the quest to create iconic structures across the world has already laid a firm foundation for the world of fenestration and India is preparing to adopt the same. Fenestration as a predominant industry has evolved and progressed in India over the past two decades only. It is seen that wood and steel are fast being replaced by uPVC which accounts for only 10% market share currently.

What are major trends in use of materials supporting the shift towards greener and energy efficient and performance oriented facades?

Various high-rise structures and glass façade buildings have already been developed across the globe and the next likely leap is expected to be on the sustainable and eco-friendly façade developments which will focus on energy conservation and reduced dependency on fossil fuels. Preparedness for the future and the zeal to combat the natural calamities will lay open to exploring newer products, designs and the invention of superior material. These are also going to be the driving forces for the industry in the coming years.

On the design front what are the latest trends?

Efficient building energy performance primarily depends upon the type of glazing and other design elements, considering the climatic conditions and the architectural design aspects. The major factors affecting the efficiency of facade design include material usage, placement, and design. For e.g., generally, high glazing is avoided on the southern side of the building to avoid excess heat gain over the day which leads to excessive usage of cooling systems, which in turn leads to carbon emissions as well as operating cost escalations.

What do you think the major parameters in the selection the type of material and also choosing a specific style of design for a project?

uPVC is one of the most preferred material of the future with multiple unique qualities from the perspective of quality, durability, efficiency, performance, aesthetics, sustainability and several others. However, if we look at trends, despite similar climatic conditions, both UAE and UK have a diverse facade market. One has the tallest structures in the world while the other has relatively low-rise buildings, but both have a keen eye on the specification for corrosion-resistance building facades. Considering the height and weather conditions in UAE, specifications are more scoped towards thermal insulation and wind cycles. While in UK, uPVC product material is more popular.

What is the impact of the pandemic on the industry?

Just like every industry, the fenestration industry in India too is bearing the brunt of the pandemic. Besides the previous challenges including lack of awareness of environment-friendly products to absence of industry standards and regulatory bodies to lack of skilled resources and talent pool within this industry, Covid-19 has significantly impacted the fenestration supply chain. Revenues of the players operating within the industry have also been severely impacted.

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