Choosing Commercial Cladding Products : What to Look For

Choosing cladding for a commercial (or industrial) building in Australia requires more than simply selecting the product that looks most appealing. Architects, designers, builders, and property owners must also consider the local Building Code requirements, cladding system performance and safety, installation factors, aesthetic flexibility, and warranties.

DtS non-combustible aluminium cladding ticks all of these boxes.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

•  Commercial cladding products must meet Australia’s stringent standards in terms of fire safety, as well as being strong, durable, and aesthetically pleasing.
•   Fire safety is of paramount importance, and the best cladding products are “deemed to satisfy” as non-combustible and have been stringently tested to not ignite or contribute to the spread of fire.
•   DtS non-combustible aluminium cladding is the gold standard in exterior cladding. It is lightweight, cost-effective over time, robust, durable, fire-safe, and easy to maintain.

Commercial buildings can be a design challenge for architects, as they must blend aesthetics with function while also meeting strict standards in terms of performance and safety. The selection of exterior cladding material is of utmost importance.

What is Exterior Cladding?

Important in any commercial building, from hotels to hospitals, schools to shopping centres, and industrial and agricultural buildings, exterior cladding performs several crucial functions:

• Defines the building’s aesthetics and speaks to its purpose and branding. When well-considered, it can enrich the space, enhancing how it feels to occupants and visitors.

• Protects the structure. Exterior cladding plays a significant role in protecting a building from rain, wind, moisture from humidity, salt air, dirt and debris, hail, snow, and UV. This is essential to the longevity and structural integrity of the property.

• Thermally insulates the building. This helps keep the interior warmer in winter, cooler in summer, and reduces energy consumption.

• Provides acoustic insulation. Commercial premises are often located in noisy environments, and exterior cladding can help to reduce the transmission of noise both into and out of a building.

• Fire safety. Australian Building Codes require that commercial buildings meet specific standards in terms of fire resistance. Exterior cladding systems need to meet non-combustibility standards, with the benchmark being the use of DtS non-combustible cladding.

Australia’s Building Code

Commercial cladding used in Australia is subject to strict compliance standards, which cover everything from installation and performance to fire safety. The National Construction Code (NCC) sets out separate criteria for different types of exterior cladding (timber, fibre cement, and metal). Each Australian state also maintains its own standards that expand on the NCC.

According to the NCC, “commercial” buildings also include multi-residential buildings, schools, universities, hospitals, aged care facilities, factories, and storage buildings.

The compliance standards for exterior cladding in Australia are complex, covering an array of factors including structural provisions, fire resistance, ventilation and exhaust, health and amenity, and additional requirements for construction in challenging environments (e.g. bushfire-prone areas).

What to Look for in Commercial Cladding

The right cladding choice for your project requires careful consideration of:

• The purpose and location of the building. For example:

-A scientific research institution in a city requires a modern, sleek appearance.

-An industrial building bordering bushland may need to blend with the natural environment while optimising bushfire safety.

-A hotel on the coast must be able to withstand high humidity and salt air.

• Aesthetic outcome. Cladding materials should complement the building’s style, purpose, and design, as well as meet the demands of occupant brand identity (where applicable).

• Durability, strength, and maintenance. Cladding choice must deliver in terms of strength, durability, weather-resistance, corrosion-resistance, impact-resistance, and ease-of-maintenance.

• Insulation properties. The role exterior cladding plays in the thermal and acoustic insulation of a building is important, as it contributes to interior comfort, energy efficiency, and reduced power costs for heating and cooling. It can also be of value in loud environments.

• Fire safety. Commercial buildings must meet strict fire safety standards, and choosing DtS non-combustible cladding materials (e.g. ALPOLIC™ NC/A1) is extremely important. Non-combustible aluminium cladding will not ignite nor contribute to the spread of flames.

• Ease of installation. Choosing lightweight, easy-to-install cladding materials is wise. This is even more important for very large or high-rise buildings. Some cladding materials (e.g. concrete) are challenging to install and require specialised tools and labour; easy-to-install non-combustible aluminium composite panels, for example, simplify and facilitate timely, more cost-efficient placement.

• Cost. Budget is always top-of-mind for property owners, and costs must be balanced with quality and durability. Higher costs upfront, when the right materials are chosen, can be recouped over time as premium cladding products require little to no maintenance and will last much longer than cheaper alternatives.

• Sustainability. Modern construction must prioritise sustainability, and choosing eco-friendly, recyclable cladding materials that are locally made and have a long lifespan is a wise investment.

Conclusion

In Australia, commercial exterior cladding systems are governed by stringent compliance standards. These are designed to ensure high performance, enhance longevity, optimise fire protection, and facilitate installation. Selecting DtS non-combustible aluminium cladding is a wise investment offering diverse aesthetic outcomes for any building.