SPEAKER INTERVIEW: NAOKI WOODWARD

Naoki Woodward will be speaking at Windows, Doors and Facades Event next September. He shared with us some insight on the top trends in the facades industry. He is the Associate at Koltay Facades and will be talking on Window and door performance in high rise buildings at the Middle East Facades Summit.

How do you improve the window and door seal quality for high rise buildings?

One of the key challenges is working within the boundaries of proprietary systems, as it is not commercially practical for many projects to design a fully bespoke window (or door) solution. Improvements can be made to existing base systems, however it depends on the opening type and function of the vent itself. Additional locking points can be added to achieve better compression, in combination with additional gasket lines and drainage provision. New profiles can be extruded to ensure frames are stiffer and deflection is controlled due to higher wind loads.

However in the early stages of the building design the facade consultant should discuss suitable opening types with the Architect/Client based on sizes required, wind pressures and location (i.e. are the vents exposed on the 50th floor in a corner area or recessed on a balcony). Selection of suitable opening type given the specific conditions is paramount in the first instance not only from a weathering performance point of view but also safety/usability.

What role does fiberglass play in high rise building?

GFRP (Glass Fibre Reinforced Plastic), which is currently being used in window/door system design - generally as thermal breaks. It's an interesting material, however doesn't really have an 'Architectural' finish so its use is limited to concealed components at present.

What are the factors to consider for high-rise window glass?

The same considerations apply as for general glass within high rise construction, however safety requirements (in terms of post breakage behavior) along with thicknesses and resultant weight must be specifically considered to ensure usability of the window.

According to you, what are today’s top 3 trends in the facades industry?

The drive for slimmer framing profiles still exists - specifically for sliding doors. However this doesn't necessarily suit high rise developments due to structural and building movement requirements.

Perhaps not necessarily applicable to the UAE market however complex geometry (curved glass) is increasingly a requirement on projects.

The third key trend is for large format glass or opening elements. We have a project in Dubai that has large 3.6m high x 1.4m leaf width folding/sliding doors in a bespoke steel system, and we also frequently come across requirements for large straight sliding door systems. These types of requirements really push technical limits in terms of structural performance and usability of the elements in question due to resultant leaf weights.

Why are you participating at the Windows, Doors & Facades Event and what can visitors expect to learn at your session?

This is a key event for the region and we are proud to be part of it. These types of events are critical to the development of the local market and an excellent opportunity to catch up with industry colleagues.

 Those attending our session will learn about the key challenges relating specifically to the use of windows & doors in high rise buildings, how they affect safety in use and end design. It is intended to promote some further thought into the suitable selection and subsequent testing which can be done to mitigate some of the associated risks.

 About Naoki Woodward -

Naoki has over 11 years experience in facade design, testing, specification and project management. He is currently involved with a number of high profile projects in Dubai from design through to delivery stages, and builds on significant experience gained within the European facade market working for both supplier, consultant and main contractor.
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His two masters degrees in Facade Engineering and Product Design demonstrate his interest and appreciation for innovative technical design. Naoki is also a member of the Society Of Facade Engineers
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