As Senior Architectural Systems marks the 10th anniversary of its patented PURe® aluminium window and door system, regional architectural advisor Kenny McMenemy takes a look back at how this invention has helped create a new generation of energy-efficient buildings across Scotland
Where it all began
Back in February 2015, Senior set new standards for low U-value aluminium windows and doors by creating a system that was the first to the UK market to feature an enhanced thermal barrier made from expanded polyurethane foam (PUR). The innovative use of this material, which is traditionally used in cladding and insulation, gives PURe® the potential to achieve U-values as low as 0.71 W/m2K for windows and 0.93 W/m2K for doors, significantly improving energy efficiency and reducing heat loss.
We went on to be awarded a UK patent (GB252363.8) for our PURe® system and soon extended the range to cater to both commercial and residential markets. Over the past decade, the PURe® range has evolved to offer a variety of configurations, including casement, tilt and turn, and parallel push windows, as well as folding sliding, inline sliding, lift and slide, single, and double doors.
The range got even bigger in 2019 with the launch of the PURe® Commercial Door – our largest, strongest and most flexible aluminium door system to date. Then most recently, in 2023, we collaborated with our supply chain partner and composite door supplier Hallmark Doors and Panels Ltd to develop a new residential entrance door that combines the patented PURe® thermal efficiency with PAS 24 security.
On to a winner
Without a doubt the biggest accolade we have won for the design and development of our PURe® range came in 2023, when we received the King’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation. Prior to this, we received the 2020 Made in Yorkshire business awards in recognition for Senior’s manufacturing investment on both a regional and national level.
The popularity of our PURe® range has grown over the last ten years, with demand increasing significantly following the introduction of new lower U-value targets outlines in the recent updates to Part L of the Building Regulations in England.
Here in Scotland, our PURe® window and door system is also supporting the move to creating more thermally and energy efficient buildings as part of the move towards creating a Scottish equivalent to Passivhaus.
Showcasing PURe® in Scotland
Over the last ten years we have put the theory of PURe® into practice on various projects across Scotland, from commercial contracts and residential developments and to the next generation of energy-efficient education buildings.
The education sector is where our PURe® journey started as it was back in 2016 that we completed work on our first contract to feature our new innovation – Carlyle Infant School in Derby. Since then, our PURe® windows and doors have been specified on numerous educational buildings across the UK and several high-profile schemes in Scotland. One of the largest contracts to feature PURe® is the University of Stirling, where our patented system was installed as part of its large-scale Central Campus development.
Most recently, we worked alongside our framework partner Morgan Sindall to deliver our PURe® aluminium windows, alongside other fenestration systems, to two new primary schools in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire – Hilltop Primary School, and the new shared campus for St Edwards Primary and Tollbrae Primary.
Our work in the education sector and strong links with our main contractor partners has also seen us provide our PURe® solution for a number of student accommodation schemes. The University of Edinburgh’s Potterrow residential development is one of the latest examples of how our PURe® Commercial Door has been put to the test in a busy high traffic environment.
Our PURe® range has been developed to work seamlessly with other products, and our distribution centre in Livingston allows us to support the length and breadth of the region. Here’s to another decade of providing PURe® innovation to our customers!
