14.08.2023 - Aluminium Association
The construction sector is one of the main consumers of aluminium in the Russian market. It accounts for 30% of the total metal consumption in the country or approximately 300,000 tonnes annually. This was announced by Evgeny Vasiliev, Vice-Chairperson and Head of Transport Infrastructure, Aluminium Association, at the Aluminium as a Catalyst for Advanced Technologies in Construction roundtable.
The roundtable is a part of the Building Russia’s Future special project which commemorates the Builder’s Day and the 10th anniversary of the Russian Ministry of Construction. The event was attended by leading industry companies and expert community members, including Albes, Moskabelmet, Metrogiprotrans, FTS, and HPBS.
The growing interest in aluminium solutions is due to the metal’s unique properties. These include low density, high corrosion resistance, and durability. Domestic manufacturers offer a wide range of products for the construction of modern residential and commercial buildings and public infrastructure, such as windows and balconies, aluminium façades and roofs, translucent structures, footbridges, interior fittings, lighting poles and many other products.
Experts say that the potential of aluminium as a construction material has yet to be realised. New alloys with improved strength and other properties, as well as new manufacturing technologies, will help to expand the use of aluminium in construction.
“Aluminium presents us with fantastic opportunities. The technologies available now, the domestic products which we previously imported, are expanding the opportunities for architects and builders”, said Leonid Borzenkov, Chief Architect, Metrogiprotrans, member of the Russian Union of Architects.
BRIDGES FOR PRODUCTION GROWTH
One example is the use of modern aluminium alloys in bridge construction. Overseas, they began to use aluminium in bridge construction in the first third of the 20th century, whereas in Russia, until recently, there was only one such project: the Kolomensky bridge in St. Petersburg, built in 1969.
The Kolomensky Bridge in St. Petersburg was constructed in 1969
In contemporary Russia, the construction of aluminium alloy bridges was revived by the Aluminium Association. This project had to be initiated almost from scratch due to the lack of necessary skills, technologies, and regulatory documents. The first pilot aluminium bridges were erected in 2017 in the Nizhny Novgorod Region. The rapid assembly, high performance and low maintenance costs caught the attention of the professional community and local authorities. Currently, there are aluminium 15 bridges in operation across Russia in Moscow, Krasnoyarsk, Samara, Tula and the Nizhny Novgorod regions.
“This project by the Association is driving the bridge construction innovations, and contributing to the growth of the metallurgical competencies in rolling, extrusion, and welding technologies. As a result, we have new orders, higher output and, of course, new jobs, emphasised Evgeny Vasiliev.
The expert also noted that the new bridge construction technologies have a positive impact on other sectors. For instance, some solutions from the bridge builders are used in marine and river infrastructure like berths and yacht marinas. It is also worth noting that the roadmap for the promotion of domestic tourism includes the construction of 39 marinas.
The aluminium industry has all the necessary competencies for the construction of these projects, including aluminium berths and yacht marinas
DO YOU NEED A STANDARD? WE HAVE IT!
One of the barriers to advanced aluminium structures, building materials and other products, including bridges, in Russia has been outdated regulatory documents. The paradox was that the material was available, but was virtually non-existent in the documents.
“The absence of aluminium in the regulatory documents effectively prohibited its use in construction. The developer had to provide additional approvals, compliance and safety declarations. It is easier to play it safe and choose alternative materials or solutions”, explained Alexey Efimov, head of Technical Regulation and Government Affairs, Aluminium Association, Chairperson of TC 099 Aluminium Committee.
One of the key tasks of the Aluminium Association established in 2015, was to update the entire regulatory framework, and specifically the construction codes. Thanks to our collaboration with the Russian Standardization Agency, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Construction and other industry-related agencies, we managed to extend the scope of TC 099 Aluminium Board from just primary aluminium to end products.
“The activities of TC 099 Aluminium Committee, ongoing collaboration with federal authorities, research centres and other Committees such as TC 144 Construction Materials and Products and TC 465 Construction, have allowed us to amend the regulatory framework for aluminium manufactures who are also contributing to the development of new standards and codes of practice, said Alexey Efimov.
According to the expert, the latest updates to the construction codes applicable to cladding, sandwich panels, cabling, and other components have increased the output of aluminium structures and products by 30%.
The latest updates to the construction codes applicable to cladding, sandwich panels, cabling, and other components have increased the output of aluminium structures and products by 30
The Russian Ministry of Construction as the regulator has made significant contributions to updating the regulatory documents and has introduced the update procedures.
“Revision of construction codes has always been rather slow. Now, with the appropriate procedure, research, and successful pilot projects, the documents can be updated in just a year at most. This is one of the fastest review periods in the world”, noted Alexander Neklyudov, Executive Secretary of TC 465, Vice CEO, FCS.
SYNERGY OF ENERGY AND ALUMINIUM
From 2003 to 2019, aluminium wiring was banned in Russian housing for safety reasons. In 2016, the aluminium industry introduced a brand-new product made of the 8xxx range of aluminium alloys. Samples of the new aluminium cable were tested at the National Cabling Institute. Experts came from the Russian Association of Electrical Installers and other organisations. The samples were tested for resistance to bending and contact behaviour. In some cases, aluminium cabling made from 8xxx alloys even outperforms similar products.
In 2016, the aluminium industry introduced a brand-new product made of the 8xxx range of aluminium alloys.
Modern aluminium cabling meets all specifications and safety requirements. It also offers several advantages over its long-time rival: copper wire.
“Aluminium costs one half to one third less than copper, or 20...30% less for the same performance. By using aluminium cables in a multi-storey apartment building, the developer can save the cost of one or two apartments. The extra funds can cover discount promo offers for property buyers”, noted Pavel Moryakov, CEO of Moskabelmet Group, head of Energy, Aluminium Association.
Modern aluminium cable from the 8xxx series costs one-half to one-third less than copper, or 20...30% less for the same performance
Advanced aluminium cables are currently being used in both economy and business-class buildings.
ALUMINIUM: THE SHOWCASE OF THE MOSCOW METRO
The Big Circle Line was launched in 2023. It is not only the longest circle line in the world (70 km compared to Beijing’s 57 km) but also a showcase of aluminium solutions for the cladding of façades and metro station interiors.
The Big Circle Line in the Moscow Metro spans 70 km. This is the longest circle line in the world
“Aluminium is the key component of the Big Circle Line appearance. It can be found at every station in some form or another, like the finishing of ceilings and walls. Aluminium also serves as an excellent backdrop or canvas for large-scale artworks, printed on aluminium plates or glass inserted into aluminium honeycomb panels. You can see the result with your eyes: stations turned out to be incredibly diverse”, said Leonid Borzenkov.
The aesthetic appeal of aluminium is visible at Michurinsky Prospekt (Kalininsko-Solntsevskaya Line), CSKA, Sokolniki, Aviamotornaya and other stations of the Big Circle Line. At the Elektrozavodskaya station, renowned artist Alexander Rukavishnikov and architect Nikolai Shumakov used aluminium to create the unique Battle of Heroes artwork 163 m in length and 7 m in height.
“The Battle of Heroes mural at the Elektrozavodskaya station is printed on glass integrated into the honeycomb panels and then mounted on the wall on an aluminium frame. Without aluminium, it would have been impossible to create such a large-scale artwork so quickly and efficiently. It will last for decades if not centuries”, added Leonid Borzenkov.»
Honeycomb aluminium is one of the primary construction materials for metro stations. Albes, an Aluminium Association member, is among the first Russian manufacturers to offer honeycomb aluminium products. Today, Albes products can be found in the finishing of railway and metro stations, Moscow clinics and other public spaces.
“Honeycomb aluminium is an innovative product. It can be used to create large-scale panels, it is lightweight and perfectly flat. For these reasons, architects particularly appreciate it, explains Sergey Zabegaev, deputy CEO, Albes Centre.
Honeycomb panels were used at Michurinsky Prospekt, Park Pobedy, Ramenki, and Delovoy Tsentr metro stations. In total, over 250,000 sq. m of aluminium products were used for building 40+ metro stations.
Honeycomb aluminium panels were used for building 40+ Moscow metro stations
Albes offers a wide range of finishing coatings: imitated wood, platinum, copper, satin finish, or anodised aluminium. The decorative finish creates a unique surface texture as designed by the architect. Quick installation is another notable advantage of honeycomb panels.
The Delovoy Tsentr metro station was constructed using aluminium honeycomb panels
“We need fast construction. For instance, cladding a metro station in stone would take no less than a year. Aluminium plates come from the factory 100% ready for installation. Just deliver them on time, install on the framework already in place, remove the protective film, and the metro station interior is ready”, said Sergey Zabegaev.
MATERIAL FOR ENVIRONMENTAL-FRIEDNLY CONSTRUCTION
The Russian construction industry is steadfastly adhering to the global concept of sustainable development and green construction principles. The industry players are implementing circular economy principles to increase usable space, use natural lighting, and make the building recyclable into new construction materials.
A key objective of green construction is to minimise environmental impact while enhancing the comfort of buildings and other infrastructure.
“The tree pillars of green are called ESG: environmental, social, and governance. for construction, it means creating a comfortable environment for people. Energy efficiency and the use of green materials are some examples of sustainability aspects. Green materials, for instance, include local materials (used as close as possible to where they are produced), materials with recycled content, and materials suitable for recycling after the end of their lifecycle. Materials are also considered ’green’ if they have a minimal impact on the environment during manufacturing and operation. Such materials have a low carbon and environmental footprint”, explained Marina Kupriyanova, Deputy CEO and Co-Founder, HPBS.
Approximately 80% of the world’s aluminium ever produced is still in use today. This is among the best environmental performance results for construction materials. Russian companies are particularly focused on carbon neutrality. For instance, in July 2023, RUSAL (a member of the Aluminium Association) announced the production of the ALLOW INERTA grade aluminium with specific emissions of 0.01 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per tonne of metal (the figure includes both direct and indirect emissions). This alloy is produced with a ground-breaking technology using cells with inert anodes and hydropower. And this is just one example.
Aluminium has a high recycling rate. Approximately 80% of the world’s aluminium ever produced is still in use today
“There are many catalogues of eco-materials. A major platform for verifying the environmental footprint through Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) lists over 4,000 items, of which 132 are aluminium products. This is a relatively high figure. The more market players become aware of the environmental and economic advantages of aluminium, the more frequently it will be used. The proof of its sustainability is the Environmental Product Declaration. This will stimulate the application of such products in buildings certified for sustainability according to green building standards, such as CLOVER. Such projects can apply for green financing, as the CLOVER system is included in the green projects taxonomy included in Directive 1587 of the Russian Government. This creates a market mechanism leading to a consistent greening of construction materials and buildings", believes Marina Kupriyanova.
About project
The media project is supported by the National Association of Builders (NOSTROY). The media project is operated by the Safety and Quality Association of Employers. As part of the project, on August 7-11, August 2023, there was round-the-clock live broadcasting on the строителироссии.рф, Russian Construction Ministry websites, partner websites and YouTube/RuTube channels, mass media and information agency sites. The media project stakeholders are discussing industry issues and covering the achievements of the Russian construction industry.