Kinder to architects: The Next Generation of balconies

Balcony manufacturer and supplier Sapphire Balconies has unveiled their most sustainable balcony product yet, quickly gaining a reputation as a ‘kinder’ next generation of Balconies.

At Vision Construct 2023, Sapphire officially unveiled the Next Generation suite of balcony innovations to date. Included amongst their developments are a reduced weight frame, a more sustainable framework, increased aesthetic possibilities and developments that make the Next Generation Balcony safer for installers thanks to multiple-award-winning technology.

Expected to be a game-changer for the external envelope space, the Next Generation Balcony is touted as being lighter, safer, having more possibilities and being kinder. The Next Generation balcony is lighter due to new Cassette® engineering. This allows for less structural load back to the building and less raw material. The Next Generation is safer thanks to new forms of installation equipment including Sapphire’s patented Remote Locker Device (RLD), ensuring that installers can fit the balcony from within the building. More possibilities than ever before are available, with new connection methods like the Clip-On™ connection, new Cassette® options like the Crescent Corner™ and new balustrading choices such as the customisable Identité Balustrade, patterned vertical bars and more. Finally, the Next Generation balcony is kinder – thanks to Sapphire’s brand-new G60 anchor, the Clip-On® connection and a reduced carbon Cassette, the embodied carbon present in Sapphire’s Next Generation range has been reduced significantly. LCA EPDs indicate the Next Generation suite is likely to be the most sustainable aluminium balcony on the market.

Sapphire’s Head of ESG, Nick Haughton, spoke on the benefits of the Next Generation suite, elaborating on his excitement. “It's really exciting to be launching a new product that has EPDs demonstrating such a reduction in embodied carbon. At the core of this reduction is smart engineering and, for me, the fact that it’s safer and gives more possibilities is a triple win for designers.”.

John Sisk & Son’s Managing Director, Ger Hayes, spoke on the reveal of the Next Generation suite upon its reveal, saying: “Sapphire are probably one of the most innovative companies we work with” and that working with Sapphire’s Next Generation suite on the NE02/03 development in Wembley has helped them to deliver “the most sustainable, low-embodied-carbon and efficient residential development [they] have ever delivered”. Mr Hayes went on to describe how proud he is of the relationship between Sisk & Sapphire and that the Next Generation balcony was “revolutionary” for the residential construction market.

The Next Generation balcony features a significant 19% reduction in CO2 across stages A1-A5, making it the lowest-carbon and most sustainable balcony in Sapphire’s 31-year history. In early stage project analysis the balcony has been found to reduce over 6,000 tonnes of weight from 50-storey towers. The new Clip-On anchors have been optimized by Sapphire’s engineering team to allow the reduction of moment forces back to the building to as low as 4kNm.

Sapphire Balconies is a balcony manufacturer and supplier specialising in the mid-to-high-rise residential construction market. Sapphire focuses on bringing lightweight, innovative aluminium balcony projects to apartment complexes across the globe. To learn more about Sapphire Balconies, their vision for construction in the residential construction sector, or to specify the Next Generation suite,
Visit their website at: www.balconies.global,
Email them at support@balconies.global or
Call on 0344 88 00 553.