REHAU profiles bring a modern redesign to the exchange

The Exchange, Solihull

At the heart of Solihull sits The Exchange, formerly a telephone exchange the building was constructed in the early 1970's and has recently been transformed into a functional office space. 

As part of the refurbishment the building was in dire need of a new and modern redesign to meet a high spec – not only did The Exchange need to look and feel like a high-quality workspace it had to be easy to maintain and utilise long-lasting and effective product solutions.

Window replacement was central to the project and it was important the profile chosen would be easy to install and had the quality and ease of maintenance required. The Window Centre in Solihull were the chosen installers for the project and decided REHAU’s popular TOTAL70 co-extruded profile windows seemed like the perfect choice.

A total of 130 grey on white TOTAL70 co-extruded windows were used as part of the refurbishment project, with the project taking six weeks to finish from the team going onsite to completion.

REHAU’s TOTAL70 co-extruded profile was launched last year and is believed to be the only window profile in the market that uses up to 100% post-consumer/post industrial waste in its core, therefore making it a completely unique product to be used in refurbishment projects such as The Exchange.

Mark Jones, Contracts Manager at The Window Centre, Solihull, said: “As a regular REHAU installer and REHAU authorised partner, we appreciate the positive impacts the TOTAL70 co-extruded profile brings to the industry in terms of recycling. Installing REHAU products has always been a pleasure and this project was no different; it is always a rewarding experience to give a building, such as The Exchange, some revitalisation.

“Whilst this was an enjoyable project, during the installation process we did encounter a few challenges, as with most projects. Specifically, the original windows were quite large units and in turn it was quite difficult to remove them. However, we found a solution. But, when it came to the physical installation of REHAU’s TOTAL70 co-extruded window this process was one of ease. As we use these products regularly, installing them has become the “norm” for The Window Centre. REHAU beads are always a positive fit whatever the weather, even if we were installing in the dead of winter or the heat of summer, we were quite sure that they would not crack or fail.”

The ease of installation is a key point for REHAU installers, and this in turn positively benefits the end customer, who will be reassured a high-quality product has been installed and no time has been wasted.

Steve Tonkiss, Commercial Manager at REHAU said: “With projects such as The Exchange, it is always extremely fulfilling to see our REHAU products helping with the rejuvenation of buildings. The TOTAL70 co-extruded profile is immensely popular and was the ideal choice that fits in with the requirements of both the end-customer and the installer. The product has a sleek and stylish finish and we do not ever compromise on our ability to provide great quality and ergonomically engineered windows for all clients.

“Our long-standing relationship with The Window Centre has meant that REHAU is their first choice in PVCu due to the quality and stability of the entire range. In fact, we have already started on another large refurbishment project with Mark and his team but this time in the South West and focused on housing for a local Housing Association”.

REHAU’s TOTAL70 range comprises of a range of multi-chambered profiles designed to meet the requirements of the new build, commercial and domestic refurbishment markets. The products within this range achieve the British Standard BS7950 and PAS 24 security standards respectively. The products also achieve an A rating - the highest possible Window Energy Rating (WER) for thermal efficiency.

Mark concluded: “Being a premium window company, The Window Centre likes to work with premium extrusions and REHAU has tested their windows to the very highest standards to prove their worth and durability. We use the motto “Fit and Forget” and with REHAU products we are able to execute this effectively.”