Targeting Indoor Environmental Quality

Humans have become indoor creatures, spending 90 percent or more of their time inside; hence, it is critical that indoor environments foster health, productivity, and well-being. Increasingly, project owners are paying attention to how design and material choices affect indoor environmental quality. The emphasis on biophilic design—building features and materials that foster the connection between people and the natural environment—also reflects this trend.

Extruded aluminum trim can be a part of healthful, biophilic design. Derived from an abundant earth mineral, it is available in an array of organic colors, it does not emit harmful VOCs, and it is easy to clean and maintain.

The COVID-19 pandemic only increased awareness around how indoor environments affect health, in particular, the importance of good ventilation and hygienic, easy-to-clean finishes and surfaces. While more research needs to be done, there is some evidence that aluminum appears to inhibit the longevity of bacteria and viruses. Because aluminum is inherently porous, the microscopic pockets on its surface can trap viruses, potentially preventing them from transferring to other objects, including people's skin. Newer powder coatings and anodized finishes may provide even more protection against pathogens, as they may include additives that make the trim’s surface inhospitable to bacteria and viruses.

Seven Myths About Aluminum

Even though it is a widely used, versatile material with many applications in construction, automotive, and other industries, several misconceptions about aluminum and aluminum alloys persist. Here are seven common myths about this ubiquitous material.

Myth #1: Aluminum is unhealthy.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), aluminum does not pose a health hazard, although exposure to abnormally high amounts of aluminum dust can affect the lungs and respiratory system. When used in interiors, extruded aluminum trim products can help support indoor environmental quality. The products do not emit toxic chemicals or volatile organic compounds (VOCs), even when exposed to extremely high temperatures.

Myth #2: Aluminum is rare.
Although aluminum doesn’t exist by itself in nature, it is the most abundant metal in the earth’s crust. It is typically extracted from bauxite, the third most plentiful ore on Earth. Unlike other earth metals, known bauxite deposits are sufficient to support the current production rate of aluminum for another 300 years. The bauxite mining industry is environmentally responsible, using open-cast methods and restoring and revegetating mine sites. Globally, the area rehabilitated each year equals the area being mined.

Myth #3: Aluminum rusts.
In fact, aluminum cannot rust, as it does not contain iron; however, it can corrode. Corrosion occurs when ions oxidize; typically, this happens when the substrate is exposed to substances with high or low pH, or to seawater. The natural oxide film that forms on the surface of aluminum can protect it from further corrosion.

Myth #4: Aluminum is weak and brittle.
Aluminum’s strength-to-weight ratio is extremely high; it weighs 65 percent less than steel but its tensile strength is as high as 90,000 psi. In fact, it is because aluminum alloys are so light and strong that they are so widely used in construction. The material is well suited to the extrusion process, making possible the wide variety of forms and profiles that we see today.

Myth #5: Aluminum doesn’t last.
Aluminum is extremely durable, thanks to the material’s inherent qualities make it resistant to rot and corrosion; it is also noncombustible. As a testament to its durability, an estimated 85 percent of all aluminum shipped to the construction sector is still in productive use today.

Myth #6: Aluminum is not environmentally responsible.
Aluminum has been criticized for its high manufacturing carbon footprint. While it is true that producing new aluminum is an energy-intensive process, most aluminum in use today contains part to mostly recycled content. In fact, aluminum is one of the most recycled materials in the world, and recycling aluminum uses just 8 percent of the energy required to manufacture products from raw, new aluminum. Aluminum trim products typically contain between 75 and 100 percent post-industrial and post-consumer scrap, and the products themselves are 100 percent recyclable.

Myth #7: Aluminum is expensive.
While it may be true that the upfront cost of extruded aluminum trim products is higher than some alternatives, particularly PVC, when you compare whole life cycle costs, extruded aluminum is a much greater value, as it requires less maintenance and will last far longer.