​The first publication in the Towards Sustainable Cities research programme, which quantifies the in-use benefits of aluminium in architecture and the built environment. 

The research reviews the reasons why buildings are demolished and rates of material recovery at the end of use. Key examples of short life and relocatable architecture are set out, alongside the future role of Design for Disassembly [DfD]. 

The third report in the Towards Sustainable Cities series looks at life cycle thinking. Life cycle thinking challenges architects, engineers and contractors to be mindful of the life history of any manufactured product and more specifically, to understand the inputs (energy and water) and outputs (emissions to the environment) that result from the transformation of matter into product and from product to disposal. 

Aluminium: Flexible and Light is the fourth report in the Towards Sustainable Cities series. It takes an in-depth look at the light quality of aluminium which may appear to be less obviously apparent in the architecture and the built environment when compared to aerospace and transportation.

An invited audience of architects, designers, engineers, artists, fabricators and aluminium industry leaders were all brought together at the Towards Sustainable Cities Symposium, which was held in Kew Gardens, London, in October 2016. Audience views on the use of aluminium in durable, recyclable, sustainable buildings form part of this final report in the series.

ASI Chain of Custody Material Flows:

Visualising ASI Chain of Custody Material Flows in the context of global aluminium supply and demand modelling

This Aluminium Primer by MECLA seeks to raise awareness of the issues and the opportunities for a low emissions aluminium future in Australia’s development and construction industry.

Over the past two years, MECLA has been connecting across the aluminium value chain to provide industry greater insight into the challenges and opportunities for low carbon aluminium in the Australian construction context. 

Market feedback requested guidance on how to specify low carbon aluminium in projects. This brief guide will help you ask the right questions and build your specifications for collaboration.

A set of comparative life cycle assessment case studies were undertaken to explore key issues relating to the environmental impacts of building materials. The case studies explore modeling practice for long-life components by investigating (1) recycled content and end-of-life recycling scenarios and (2) service life and maintenance scenarios. The study uses a window unit frames as the object of comparison, allowing for exploration of multiple materials and assembly techniques.

The durability of aluminium used in architecture is reviewed by inspection and testing. A global survey of aluminium in architecture and infrastructure over the past 120 years identified aluminium pioneers, from the earliest known example in 1895 within the Church of St Edmund, England to the Hongkong Bank, 1985. 

This white paper outlines the importance of lower-carbon aluminium for Australian manufacturers. It provides global benchmarks for traditional and lower-carbon aluminium. It highlights the business case and pathway for selecting lower-carbon aluminium today as part of a solution to protect our collective future.

Are you making the most of aluminium? Aluminium is one of the most flexible and durable materials to design with. With exceptional strength, durability and affordability, it provides us with more than simply the ability to select products. When understood properly, aluminium becomes something to design with.