Al-Farooq Corporation Helps Schüco Break into the South Florida Market

Al-Farooq Corporation, a Miami-based engineering consulting firm, is helping Schüco USA enter the South Florida market with the release of an outward opening terrace door, the Schüco AWS 75.SI+.

The global building envelope specialist has contracted the South Florida engineering firm to launch the product. Al-Farooq Corporation has tested and approved the product to assure it meets the rigorous standards and regulations for the hurricane market.

Ideal for South Florida’s rainy and windy seasonal climate, the terrace doors were designed for high-level water tightness.

The design consists of easy-access threshold options, which meets ADA half-inch threshold height limitations while also maintaining 15 PSF of water resistance test performance, far exceeding minimum requirements.

“It has been great to work with Schüco,” says Senior Engineer, Jalal Farooq. “Their team is knowledgeable, responsive, and their products are recognized around the world. We are pleased that they have chosen Al-Farooq Corporation to guide them to success in this hurricane market.”

Schüco AWS 75.SI+ is available in a single vent and double vent option. An added Group V vent profile increases the maximum vent size to 46 1/2 inches by 97 5/16 inches with a maximum vent weight of up to 286 pounds and a 90-degree opening. The unique profile design also enables dual color options on the interior and exterior.

In addition to providing a high performance thermally broken terrace door, the system allows insulated glass units with a total of 1 11/32 inch IGU thickness using 0.09-inch SentryGlas interlayer, meeting today’s rigorous energy saving demands. By burying the threshold 13/16” into the floor, an ADA compliant, smooth and easy exterior access is provided.

Al-Farooq Corporation is currently testing several other products for Schüco that should be released in South Florida later this year – just in time for hurricane season.

Al-Farooq Engineers Glass for Aventura Slide Tower

This month Aventura Mall celebrated the installation of the Aventura Slide Tower, a nearly 100-foot tall slide designed by Belgian artist and former scientist, Carsten Höller. The permanent installation, located near the mall’s new expansion wing, features a spiral staircase that leads up to two titanium steel tubes designed for visitors to slide down.  

Al-Farooq Corporation engineered the glass at the top of the nine-story structure that allows guests to oversee sweeping views of the city. Guiding the architect and contractor through the design review, engineering, testing, permitting, installation, and inspection phases of the project to meet safeguards and hurricane resistance, Al-Farooq Corp. ensured the project was completed smoothly and on time. 

Make sure to experience the Aventura Slide Tower for yourself next time you’re in the area!  

Paramount Fort Lauderdale Opens

The newly-opened Paramount Fort Lauderdale condominium located at 701 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard is the first ground-up condo project Fort Lauderdale Beach has seen in about a decade.  

Al-Farooq was hired as the glazing consultant for the 18-story tower’s exterior façade’s one-time approval process. Our team of experienced engineers provided onsite consultation, met with Broward County officials to optimize product performance, and engineered testing specifications for mockups required to meet South Florida’s rigorous hurricane-force winds. We provided one-time approvals for all doors, storefronts, curtain walls, windows, and railings. 

The 95-unit luxury project is expected to set price records for the city. 

Al-Farooq Helps Bring Schüco Products to Market

Al-Farooq Corporation is excited to announce it is now working with Schüco to bring several of its innovative products to the South Florida market for the first time. Schüco is well-known worldwide for developing and selling system solutions for windows, doors, facades, sliding systems, and sun shading.  

 In 2003, Schüco expanded its business into the U.S. with a headquarter located in Newington, Connecticut. Just last year, Schüco USA extended its wholesale business with a contracting division, offering a new range of estimating and engineering services.  

Al-Farooq most recently worked with Schüco to test and get approval for its AWS Terrace Door with ADA Threshold. The unique product is expected to make waves in the South Florida market as it is both ADA compliant and water rated.  

The outward-opening terrace door, known as the Schüco AWS 75.SI+ terrace door consists of an easy-access threshold option, which meets the ADA ½” threshold height limitation while maintaining 15 PSF of water resistance test performance. The series will soon be available in a single vent and double vent option. Using the new Group V vent profile increases the maximum vent size to 46 ½” x 97 5/16″ and the maximum vent weight to 286 pounds with a 90-degree opening.  

In addition to providing a high-thermal performance terrace door, these systems allow insulated glass units of a total of 1-11/32″ IGU thickness using 0.09″ SentryGlas interlayer, thus meeting today’s rigorous energy saving demands. By burying the threshold 13/16″ into the floor, smooth and easy access that is ADA compliant is provided for the exterior.  

 

Al-Farooq Corporation Gets Florida Up to Code

Updated every three years, the new 2017 Florida Building Code goes into effect January 1, 2018. With so little time, product manufacturers are scrambling to meet the deadline in order to avoid approval issues and project delays.

Manufacturers who fail to update their products to meet the new code run the risk of not being able to sell them. Similarly, contractors who fail to follow the new guidelines may purchase a product they can’t get a permit for, or they may not be able to install, thus delaying the project’s timeline.

With 35 years of experience, Al-Farooq Corporation is a well-respected source for manufacturers, contractors, and architects who need product approvals for windows, doors, or cladding to comply with the latest FBC guidelines.

In addition to being a vital player in assisting businesses with FBC updates, we help architects and contractors coordinate with manufacturers and write letters on our clients’ behalf to cities in order to obtain conditional permits if product approval updates are either in process of close to completion.

In 2016, we performed over 2,000 glazing-related projects in South Florida. Additionally, we handle over 50 percent of all Miami-Dade County product approvals (NOAs) for windows and doors, and nearly 20 percent of product approvals for the state of Florida have an Al-Farooq engineer as the engineer of record.

 

Al-Farooq Corporation Assists Kuraray With Product Overhaul

Al-Farooq Corporation is proud to announce the completion of product rebranding and overhaul for Kuraray PVB.

Kuraray American Inc. is a global leader in specialty chemical, fiber, resin, and film production. With top-of-the-line research and production facilities, Kuraray leads the industry in specialty dental, fiber, resin, and elastomer products.

Al-Farooq Corporation assisted Kuraray on the rebranding and overhaul for Kuraray PVB interlayer to become ³Kuraray Trosifol® Ultraclear, Clear, and Colors Glass interlayers², which offers the following key features:

  • The new product branding is backward compatible with previous versions of Kuraray PVB so no new testing will be required for manufacturers to use this product
  • Comes in a variety of new colors as well as Clear and UltraClear to increase the visual clarity when laminating with premium low-iron UltraClear glass such as Starphire
  • This revision does not trigger a required update to manufacturers existing product approvals; however, manufacturers are required to update their glass builds to show the new name upon their next regularly scheduled update to their existing product approvals
  • The UltraClear films exhibit the lowest Yellowness Index in the industry

To learn more, visit: https://www.trosifol.com.

 

Jalal Farooq – Featured Speaker at 2017 Glass+Metal Symposium

Al-Farooq Corporation’s Senior Project Engineer, Jalal Farooq was selected as a featured speaker at the 2017 Glass+Metal Symposium where he joined other industry professionals involved with the design, construction, and maintenance of the building envelope.

Since 2012, the Glass+Metal Symposium has been Florida’s premier educational and networking event where architects, general contractors, developers and industry professionals learn the latest on design trends, construction methods, and new product technologies.

During his presentation, “Product Approvals for Windows & Doors – How it Affects Design and Construction Methods,” Jalal focused on the three areas relating to product approvals: what they are, how to get one, and how to use them. He shared in-depth insight with the audience that related to:

  • A variety of product approvals
  • Which products require a product approvals
  • The differences between product approvals and the necessary requirements and final recognition of an approval

These are all areas that Al-Farooq Corporation specializes in, and has provided services to its clients for 35 years.

If you’d like more information on the Glass+Metal Symposium, visit www.glassmetalsymposium.com.