Glass building with trees

How our metal surfaces support green building and design

In today’s world, sustainability is at the forefront of architectural and design decisions, and choosing materials to support this has never been more important.

At Alanod, we specialise in supplying several advanced metal surfaces that not only enhance aesthetics but also reinforce the principles of green building and design. Designed to improve energy efficiency and minimise heat absorption, our surfaces offer exceptional benefits to architects, designers and builders alike. Learn more below.

Our environmental promise remains at the heart of what we do

As a global company, we actively implement strategies to reduce our carbon footprint and contribute towards meeting international climate change targets. As such, we have tailored both our products and manufacturing processes to comply with environmental requirements, such as REACH, RoHS, WEEE and EoLV. Not only this, but our environmental management system is also ISO 14001:2015 certified, and our energy management system is to ISO 50001:2011 standards.

At the heart of our products lies aluminium, a material that gives us a distinct environmental advantage. Why? Because aluminium is fully recyclable, allowing it to be reused indefinitely without compromising its strength or quality. In fact, recycling aluminium saves up to 95% of the energy needed to produce new aluminium from bauxite ore, making it an incredibly sustainable choice.

With this in mind, below we delve deeper into just some of our most popular metal surfaces, each of which directly contributes towards a greener building design:

  • Aluminium composite material
  • Solar absorber surfaces
  • Reflective metal surfaces
Commercial solar panels

Aluminium Composite Material

For modern, decorative facades.

Aluminium composite material, commonly known as ACM, is a popular construction material used for architectural facades, advertising signage, roofing and canopies. The material is manufactured by layering thin aluminium sheets over a plastic core. These are then pressed together using strong adhesives to create a robust, long-lasting building resource.

The benefits of our aluminium composite material are as follows:

  • High thermal and acoustic insulation thanks to the plastic core
  • Excellent strength-to-weight material, making it easy to install
  • A wide variety of aesthetic options, including different colours, finishes and textures
  • Often manufactured using recycled aluminium to maximise sustainability

Read more about ACM, as well as its applications and benefits, in our previous article.

Building with aluminium cladding

Solar Absorber Coatings

For high-performance solar panels.

If you want to power your building with solar energy, our innovative absorber coatings are an excellent choice. Boasting solar absorption rates of up to 97% and emission rates as low as 4%, our coatings are available on a selection of metal substrates and include the following:

  • eta Plus® – For flat plate, in-tube, air and large-scale facade collectors.
  • mirotherm® – For solar thermal systems that require an anti-corrosion coating.
  • mirosol® TS – For solar thermal systems in regions with high solar radiation.
  • mirotherm® Control – For solar thermal systems that require overheating protection.

All of our solar absorber surfaces are PVD vacuum coated to allow a number of finishes while ensuring wear resistance and durability, and they come with a 10-year outdoor material warranty. If you have any questions about which option is suited to you, feel free to contact us or take a look at our blog for more information.

Dubai Sports Complex

Reflective Metal Surfaces

For reduced heat absorption.

Having been developed over the past 40 years, we proudly offer the broadest range of reflective metal surfaces, all of which can be used for many applications, including both building design and solar collectors. Our reflective metal surfaces include:

  • MIRO® – A total light reflection of 95% with isotropic and anisotropic reflection characteristics and different amounts of diffused or directed reflection.
  • MIRO-SILVER® – A higher light reflection of 98% with the additional benefit of a dark-light effect or ergonomic intrinsic density of the reflector material.
  • MIRO® and MIRO-SILVER® DESSIN – Designed with a neutral colour reflection, suitable for all types of light with TL, HID, or LED technology.
  • MIRO-SUN® – A 95% total light reflection designed explicitly for outdoor use in tube collectors (CPC), parabolic trough power plants (CSP), micro parabolic troughs (CST), concentrator photovoltaics (CPV), solar cookers and heliostats.
  • MIRO® CoM – A 95% and 98% light reflection specially designed for the LED baseplate industry. Can be finished with specialised lacquered systems for electrical insulation or high thermal conductivity.
  • MIRO White® – Has the highest possible reflectivity, making it best suited for use in LED technology. Designed with high-reflectance Lambertian aluminium and steel to be used as a high-efficiency diffuse reflector and fixture housing and/or wire-way cover. 
Building with MIRO surface

Green building design is no longer a trend - it's a necessity

For more than four decades, we have been dedicated to continuously innovating our metal surfaces, developing products that enhance energy efficiency, reduce environmental impact and support the long-term sustainability of modern architecture. If you’re an architect seeking LEED, BREEAM, or other green building certifications, do not hesitate to reach out. Our diverse range of metal surfaces helps you fulfil your goals without compromising quality, durability or aesthetics. Contact us today to discuss a new partnership built on a smarter, greener, more sustainable future.

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