Is it safer to choose aluminum alloy or PVC windows and doors for high-rise buildings?

2025,12,09

In high-rise buildings, the choice of windows and doors is not only related to aesthetics and comfort, but also directly affects residential safety and building durability. Aluminum alloy and PVC (rigid polyvinyl chloride) are two mainstream window and door materials, but their performance differs significantly, requiring comprehensive consideration of the building environment, safety requirements, and usage scenarios. The following analysis focuses on four dimensions: safety performance, applicable scenarios, target buyers, and customization needs.

1. Safety Performance: Wind Pressure Resistance and Fire Resistance are Core Indicators

High-rise buildings, due to their height, are subjected to long-term impacts from strong winds, heavy rain, and even typhoons. Therefore, the wind pressure resistance of windows and doors is a primary safety consideration. Aluminum Alloy Windows and doors use virgin aluminum as a frame, with profile wall thickness generally ≥1.8mm. Combined with a multi-cavity structure and high-strength corner bracket connection technology, they can withstand extremely high wind pressure. For example, in typhoon-prone coastal areas, aluminum alloy doors and windows, through optimized drainage hole design (such as double drainage holes in operable sashes and a fixing distance of ≤600mm), effectively prevent rainwater backflow and avoid sealing failure due to structural deformation.

PVC doors and windows, on the other hand, rely on steel reinforcement to enhance structural strength. However, their profiles have a melting point of only 280℃, making them prone to softening and deformation when exposed to fire, leading to sealing failure. Although some high-end products improve fire resistance through fiberglass reinforcement technology, they still generally fail to meet the 0.5-1 hour fire integrity requirements for high-rise buildings. Furthermore, PVC doors and windows easily release toxic gases in high-temperature environments, further limiting their application in super high-rise buildings.

2. Applicable Scenarios: Climate and Building Type Determine Material Selection

Coastal and Windy Areas: Aluminum alloy doors and windows are the preferred choice due to their corrosion resistance and wind pressure resistance. For example, the thermally broken aluminum alloy doors and windows promoted by Guangdong Saint Paul Home Furnishings Group in typhoon-prone areas achieve a balance between wind pressure resistance and thermal insulation performance by increasing the width of the thermal break strip and the thickness of the sealing strip, resulting in a service life of over 30 years.

Inland arid regions: PVC Windows and doors excel in energy conservation due to their low thermal conductivity (only 1/1250th that of aluminum alloy). Their multi-cavity profile structure effectively blocks heat transfer, and when used with insulated glass, can reduce air conditioning energy consumption by over 30%. Furthermore, PVC windows and doors require no surface coating, avoiding the pollution of indoor air from chemical volatilization, making them suitable for residential projects with high environmental protection requirements.

High-rise buildings: The non-combustible nature of aluminum alloy windows and doors makes them the only choice. According to the "Code for Fire Protection Design of Buildings," residential buildings with a height ≥54 meters must use windows and doors with a fire resistance rating ≥1 hour. Aluminum alloy profiles have a melting point of 680℃, far exceeding that of PVC materials, and their fire resistance can be further improved by filling with fire-resistant expansion sealing strips.

3. Purchasing groups: Function-oriented and cost-sensitive differentiated choices

High-end residences and commercial complexes: Groups seeking both safety and aesthetics tend to favor aluminum alloy windows and doors. Their surfaces can be treated with oxidation, spraying, electrophoresis, etc., providing diverse appearances such as wood grain and metallic textures to meet personalized customization needs. For example, some projects use aluminum-wood composite doors and windows. The outer aluminum alloy layer protects against wind and rain, while the inner solid wood layer enhances the tactile experience, balancing practicality and luxury.

Affordable Housing and Subsidized Housing: Cost-sensitive groups prefer PVC doors and windows. Their raw material price is only one-third that of aluminum alloy, and the processing technology is simple, reducing overall costs by more than 40%. Furthermore, the maintenance-free nature of PVC doors and windows (no anti-corrosion treatment required) further reduces later maintenance costs, making them suitable for large-scale applications.

Renovation Projects and Temporary Buildings: The lightweight (density only one-third that of aluminum alloy) and modular design of PVC doors and windows give them an advantage in the renovation of old windows. For example, some older communities have achieved energy-saving upgrades by replacing doors and windows with PVC without damaging the wall structure, shortening the construction period by 50%.

4. Customization Requirements: Technological Iteration Meets Diverse Needs

Aluminum Alloy Doors and Windows: The trend towards customization is evident, with younger consumers driving product upgrades towards intelligence and functionality. For example, some brands have launched smart doors and windows with built-in sensors that can monitor wind pressure and rainfall in real time and automatically close; other products integrate fresh air systems to achieve a balance between ventilation and insulation. Furthermore, the thermal break technology of aluminum alloy doors and windows has been continuously optimized. By increasing the number of thermal break strips and changing the cavity structure, the heat transfer coefficient has been reduced to below 1.8 W/(㎡·K), approaching the level of PVC doors and windows.

PVC doors and windows: Technological breakthroughs focus on fire resistance and structural strength. For example, the glass fiber reinforced PVC profiles developed by the German company Rehau, by embedding glass fiber mesh within the cavity, increase the flexural modulus by 300%, making it a viable alternative to some aluminum alloy doors and windows in various applications. Simultaneously, the co-extrusion process combines PVC layers of different materials to form a gradient structure with a weather-resistant outer layer and an insulating inner layer, extending the service life to over 20 years.

Author:

Ms. Rebecca Lee

E-mail:

sale01@wddoorwins.com

Phone/WhatsApp:

+86 13502225784