Earlier this year, the Flemish Government announced a wave of investment in school buildings and renovation, committing to spend €3.2 billion. “Renovation of schools is definitely back on the agenda in Flanders,” says Chris Cauwenberghs, General Manager of Roto Western Europe. “Many schools in this region have old buildings that can no longer be maintained without a significant increase in funding“.
This is a big reason why Roto Western Europe will be taking part in the Edubuild Summit at Flanders Expo later in November. We spoke to Chris to find out more about why Roto is focusing on this area and the opportunities for schools and the architects working on their projects.
The ninth edition of Edubuild will bring together decision-makers from the school construction, sports infrastructure and semi-public buildings sectors. The event is aimed at architects, school directors and other professionals involved in building specification and construction.
“Architects that are working on schools come to this fair, and it gives us access to them and to school directors,” says Chris. “That was one of the main reasons we took the decision to participate“.
Durability built in
Both new school buildings and renovations to existing ones will invariably require new windows and doors.
“With our hardware systems, Roto can help to ensure they are easy to operate, conform to safety requirements and are capable of providing a long service life, even if they are not always treated in the most gentle way,” says Chris.
The vast majority of opening windows will be Tilt&Turn, which means the Roto NX hardware system is a key product for this market.
“Students will be familiar with this type of opening because it is common in homes here,” says Chris. “Roto NX provides a high level of durability and has protection against incorrect operation”.
Safety for students
“An important benefit is that we can provide specifications where the end user is able to tilt the window for ventilation, but cannot open it fully. The fully open mode can still remain accessible to authorised keyholders for maintenance or cleaning,” he explains.
A key product here will be the Roto NX Tilt&Turn system in both Comfort and TiltSafe configurations.
“A window with the Comfort specification is operated purely by moving the handle. When tilted open, you have to turn the handle back to close it, so this helps prevent slamming. Comfort is also very accessible because the handle can be placed at the bottom of the sash, allowing the window to be reached and operated even when it is positioned higher up or on the other side of a work surface”.
The TiltSafe option makes windows resistant to break-ins when tilted open.
“We market this as a window with protection against burglars, but it also means the mechanism is strongly protected against abuse from inside the building. The TiltSafe components are much stronger than the tilt arm alone, so it is far more difficult to damage a window with this specification,” he explains.
Focus on renovation
While the state investment will support the building of new schools, renovation of existing buildings is also set to be extensive. Flanders has many older school buildings that need to be modernised, creating opportunities to improve comfort, safety and energy performance at the same time.
Chris sees aluminium playing an important role in new builds. “This will often be the window material of choice, particularly in architect-led projects where system houses are involved early in the process,” he says.
He believes there is an opportunity for architects and other specifiers to look beyond established specifications.
“Many of the windows that are produced in this market are to similar specifications,” he says. “This is understandable because window companies have a specification that works well, customers are familiar with it, and so they continue to provide it”.
He explains that some of the options Roto offers, such as Comfort, TiltSafe and child safety handles, are still not so well known in the Flemish market.
“They are perfect for the school sector, especially from the viewpoint of accessibility and safety,” he says. “If specifiers of schools request these solutions, they can become part of the specification. That is what we are aiming to achieve”.
Healthier buildings
Chris is also keen to emphasise how windows can contribute to healthier learning environments.
“There is definitely a trend for people to ventilate buildings by opening windows. This is something that was promoted during Covid and which has continued,” he says. “Natural ventilation is a positive, as is having more natural light, which larger windows can achieve”.
The role of windows in schools has therefore become increasingly important in creating healthy indoor environments. Natural ventilation can contribute to improved air quality and more comfortable learning spaces, while increased levels of daylight can also benefit students’ wellbeing
Sports facilities
Edubuild also covers sports infrastructure and semi-public buildings. In sports halls, for example, large sliding elements can allow buildings to be opened up to the outside during suitable weather conditions.
“This can allow more natural airflow,” says Chris. “Natural airflow is always better than forced airflow”.
Meet Roto at Edubuild
School directors, architects, contractors and other decision-makers will have the opportunity to discuss these challenges face to face with Roto experts.
“Our message to these visitors is that we can help them specify windows that work better for schools in every way, bringing security against break-ins, comfort and convenience for students and staff, along with high levels of safety and resistance to abuse,” says Chris.
“Make sure to visit the Roto stand and find out how Roto can help you meet the requirements of your next project”.
Image taken from Review of Edubuild Summit 2024
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