SH 46 May-June 2014

COVER STORY|RAILING SYSTEMS

Hail the RailGreen design strives to harness the Sun and bring daylight deep inside through the use of larger windows, skylights and atriums. Use of glass helps create internal pedestrian space, and facilitate visual communication amongst people as well as with the outside world.

The resultant creation of internal balconies and staircases in buildings is where the demand for railings is going to come from.

THE RAILING SYSTEM HAS, OFlate, been recognised as more than just a motley collection of balusters

held together by a hand rail. Concepts of universal design, all-weather performance, hygiene, etc are now an integral part of its construction. So, even though railings do not yet account for a substantial chunk of construction costs, they have emerged as an important architectural element of any structure, and no infrastructure can be considered complete without a technically sound rail.

Railings have traditionally been the preventer of mishaps, stopping people from falling off balconies and staircases. But they have other equally important uses. They are used extensively in public spaces to manage human traffic, as in airports and railway stations. They also play a key role in universal

modern building is designed to have atrium, ramps, staircases and expanded balconies–all require high levels of safe and secure railing systems which at the same time should be aesthetically pleasing and functionally

Customers usually do not have

complete information

“

Ketan Khambhayta

Dunex Metal

design, by helping differently-abled people along ramps and passages. In both these roles their performance becomes a function of design and material, which in turn is based on parameters such as footfall, wind load, weather, impact, etc.

Growing preference for glass over masonry due to factors of dead weight, functionality and natural light is another reason why railings are in demand. All open space is enclosed by railings, often in combination with glass, to protect as well as provide transparency.

“An inclination towards the modern design has changed the face of the Indian architecture in the recent past,” says Pratima Nandi (pratima.nandi@q-railing.in), marketing manager at Mumbai-based hardware major Q-railing India Pvt Ltd (erstwhile D-Line). According to her, “Every

undergone a sea change – from wrought iron to SS, and now the focus is shifting to the SS and glass combination. “This has become the darling of realtors and many of the upcoming projects are using these railings. For instance, our forthcoming project has a 40-meter high residential tower wherein developers are employing SS post with glass as railing. We have also done this combination for the Commonwealth Village, where we have installed around 7km of railing, all in combination of SS and glass.”

“No doubt SS and combinations have huge aesthetic and utility value,” says Shyam Kishor Chanasana (shyam@marutihardware.com), managing director of Surat-based Maruti Architectural Products Pvt Ltd. “We have a number of projects in hand for which we are developing SS railing as well as frame-less glass railing systems according to specifications provided by the architects,” he informs, adding that SS balustrades can be integrated with glass to create a unique looking interior and exterior of a building.

But, specifications matter. Railings must not be less than one meter in height from the floor level, and should be so designed that even a small child cannot pass through. Further, only toughened or laminated toughened glass should be used so that no one is hurt in case of a mishap. A detailed site survey is a must to know the wind load and other environmental factors for that particular location, in order to construct a railing that is structurally safe and durable.

However, requirements vary with building types. The design of railings systems for public areas and commercial buildings would be different from what is suitable for individual and high-rise residential buildings. Of course, the priority in all cases would be safety, followed by durability and aesthetics.

Nandi states that railings, being a safety measure, are one of the most important components of a building. “Railings provide a safety net. Their use allows designers to improve ventilation and day lighting in the building, instead of having fixed windows and facades or completely enclosed staircases.”

Even within residential applications there are varying concerns. Dwelling systems in India are often a combination of high-rise towers and bungalows. In both cases, applications are the same but design criteria may differ. “High-rise towers demand railings which can withstand the wind pressure and live load besides having the aesthetics. For

COVER STORY

47SH | May-June 2014

exterior furnishings, provides transparency to surroundings, and last but not the least, is easy to clean and maintain.” According to him, customers requiring extra durability prefer railings in combination of SS and glass.

Rajan Aggarwal, vice president for design & project at New Delhi-based hardware major Ozone Overseas, suggests that preferences for residential buildings too have

This Railing May Never End Global advisory and consulting firm Goldman Sachs estimates that India needs $1.7 trillion in infrastructure investment over the next decade in order to pump up its economic growth. Recognising this, Planning Commission has projected that infrastructure investment will be to the tune of $1,025 billion during the ongoing 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17). Last year the government set an investment target of $20 billion in PPP projects across infrastructure sectors. This year, the new government has announced another investment target of $ 4-5 billion to give infrastructure a push.

The sectors of civil aviation, railways, education, healthcare, hospitality, etc are all set for a revamp, and are major customers of the railing industry. No wonder industry experts expect a spurt in business, and a continued growth of 20-25% in the coming decade. Here are some key expectations.

The size of the Indian healthcare market is expected to reach $160 billion (`9,61,040 crore) by 2017, up from $79 billion in 2012.The school segment is expected to reach $144 billion (`8,64,936 crore) by 2020.The Indian hospitality sector would need a total of 3,51,540 rooms by 2021, against the existing stock of 1,63,040 rooms.The size of the Indian residential realty market is expected to reach $180 billion (`10,81,170 crore) by 2020, up from $67 billion in 2011.JLL suggests that net addition to mall space in Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Pune is set to more than double to 11.6 million sft in 2014. The built-up mall area across these seven cities stood at 76 million sft. It is estimated this will cross the 100 million sft mark in 2016, touching 107.8 million sft in 2017. In 2014, the average size of malls is estimated at around 3.8 lakh sft, which is expected to increase to 4.7 lakh sft in 2015 and further to 6.6 lakh sft in 2017.New international airports are planned in Bhubaneswar and Imphal. Besides, there is provision of eight greenfield airports and 50 new low-cost small airports.

Maintainability is an important component of

reailing systems

“

Rajan Aggarwal

Ozone Overseas

perfect.” She adds that the trend is in favour of seamless glass railing systems and combinations of stainless steel and glass.

Echoes Ketan Khambhayta (ketan.k@dunexmetal.com) of Rajkot-based red dot awardee Dunex Metal, “Customers are mostly preferring glass railings in comparison to the other variants such as SS, wrought iron, aluminium, etc. Glass is preferred because it gives a rich modern look to the architecture, matches with almost all types of interiors and

SH 48 May-June 2014

COVER STORY

house help routinely cleans and cares for these fittings. But for public spaces the fittings should require negligible maintenance, yet possess a much longer working life.”

Khambhayta states that customers often do not have knowledge about the correct use of railings and their maintenance and durability, and it falls upon the manufacturers to do the needful. “We design and manufacture railing systems according to international

standards. We suggest a design only after profiling the client, and can also incorporate features that enable the altering or redesigning of the system at a later date, if the consultant wants.”

Innovations, including modularity and motorisation, mark the development of railings as functional elements. At the same time the use of lighting (LEDs), varied materials (mirrors, glass, leather, PVC,aluminium), and coatings are making them a designer’s delight.

Nandi of Q-railing says that innovations are an outcome of continuous research. “For instance, the incorporation of LED strips in our railings has enhanced the lifestyle of our customers. The railings in balconies and staircases now also illuminate, and the need for light points in these spaces has been minimised. Over the last couple of years, Q-railing’s R&D team has developed almost 125 new parts and components.”

The growing demand for railing systems is leading to a shift in business models, as suppliers are engaging in more domestic value addition rather than simply importing.

Aggarwal asserts that Ozone has a well equipped facility to produce even the most complicated railing systems. “We are not lacking anywhere, rather are fully equipped to serve even the overseas markets. At our units in Kala Amb we do manufacture everything in-house. Besides, the global equilibrium has now started shifting from China, and India is likely to emerge as a manufacturing hub for all the industries including hardware, electricals, appliances, etc.”

Khambhayta confirms that customers have started preferring India-made railing systems instead of relying on imports. “The imported stuff is now limited to DIYcomponents. But each passing day is pushing the industry further, so are the project-based requirements and specifications. Many projects require customised systems designed by their team of architects and interior designers. In such situations only a manufacturer can provide the product and service, and not the importer. When we offer a 10-year warranty on our systems for any technical faults, our customers immediately shelve the idea of using imports.”

Nandi argues that India is still dependant on imports for the technically superior and advanced products, but admits that domestic capability is growing fast. “Unfortunately there are very few, if at all, domestic fabricators

who can back their products with appropriate test certificates in order to comply with the buildings codes.”

So is there scope for retailing in the railings business?

“Retailing is very limited as these products cannot be installed by the customer or regular carpenter or installer. A retailer needs to team up with a fabricator for the installation and service, and may also need to invest in certain equipment. Also, in retailing, the design choice becomes limited to only what is given in the catalogues,” says Khambhayta.

He, however, points that retailing railing systems can be quite a profitable venture, particularly when compared to other building hardware. “The basic door hardware to be used in a bungalow would cost around `50,000, but a standard railing system for a staircase of 10 treads would cost a minimum of ̀ 1,00,000.”

Aggarwal opines that retailing has a bright future, and it has yet to evolve. “It will certainly get a big push with the introduction of modular railing systems, although a design limitation will be there and only those available in catalogues would be asked for.” He informs that 35% of Ozone’s total railings business comes from retail. “For expansion outside metros, in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, increased retail presence is a must.”

Chanasana of Maruti Hardware too believes that railing systems are a retail-friendly product. He feels that unlike projects where buyers are mainly concerned about price and technicalities, in retail the concerns are more about quality, aesthetics, style and longevity. “Catering to individuals is more challenging as they ask for both, quality and aesthetics, and at the same time they are ready to pay.”

Nandi counters that railing systems are not off-the-shelf products yet. “However, components and parts can be sold through retail for smaller projects like houses and bungalows. In the near future, Q-railing would look at the retail market to cater to the uncovered regions for specific components. tier-2 and tier-3 cities will have more scope for such components through retail.”

It appears that after kitchens and windows, it is the turn of good ol’ railings to graduate into a performance product. Which means value will henceforth be in the design, fabrication and service rather than simply price.

Syed Md Ehteshamul Hasan

Modularity will provide an

impetus to retail

“Shyam Kishor Chanasana

Maruti Architectural Products

individual bungalows and villas, live load and aesthetics take priority,” explains Aggarwal.

He advocates that railing systems for public places need to be strong and vandal-proof, as they have to cater to an unknown audience of an age which may range from one-year to 70-years. “We generally consider 1-1.25 meter high railings for these places. Also, the maintenance requirements in residential buildings are different than those for public places. In residential spaces the

SH 50 May-June 2014

COVER STORY | ARCHITECT’S PERSPECTIVE

Achieving a balance between the primary requirements should be the key concernAr Vijay Dahiya is partner with Team3, a New Delhi-based architectural firm. For over 14 years, he has worked on diverse projects including residential, commercial, hospitality and interior architecture. Active in professional organisations and the speaker circuit, he believes that buildings should never undergo ‘design fatigue’. Sourcing Hardware met with Dahiya to get an architect’s take on staircases and how railings should be designed.

How important is the staircase in a modern building?The primary function of a staircase is to connect two or more levels. Staircases can be segregated in two types - internal open staircases, which are visible from within the floor plate; and fire staircases, which can be internal or external. The primary function of fire staircases is to safely evacuate all people to a place of safety, whether at the ground level, terrace or refuge areas. The fire staircases are generally enclosed on all sides with walls or partitions, with fire doors leading to them. The requirement of fire staircases are governed by building codes and local building bye-laws.

The internal open staircases, on the other hand, are placed in such a manner that they facilitate movement between two or more levels. Their design should be such that they complement the architecture of the building, connect levels fluidly and have a sculptural quality to them.

Is there a mandate for staircases in buildings?Yes. Buildings are divided into various groups/types (residential, business, assembly, institutional, etc) as per National Building Code, which clearly defines the minimum stair width and occupant load for each building type. The Code further defines the travel distance to a staircase or an exit, the maximum riser height and minimum tread length, railing height and spacing, and the door width serving the staircase.

occupant load, so two office buildings of same height but different floor plate areas might have different staircase widths based on total occupants of the building.

What about railing systems?You need to address mainly three concerns when it comes to selecting, designing or installing railing systems - aesthetics, budget and applicable codes.

What changes have you observed over the years in railing systems?What has changed is that from being manufactured on-site, railings have now become modular. Being modular, they come is a fairly large number of designs, material options and customisation possibilities for big projects.

Who is usually the specifier, the client or architect? What points are to be kept in mind while specifying?The specifications are normally routed through the architect’s office, they might be tweaked based on the project type, aspirations and the budget. For instance, if it is for a corridor in a shopping complex, visibility, and transparency are primary concerns, so that visitors on lower levels can see what’s on upper levels. Therefore, seamless glass railings are extensively used. Safety is also a big concern, which at times is ignored due to small budgets and incorrect specifications.

What are the key concerns of an architect?Incorrect systems are being executed all over. In railings, one sees use of only toughened glass and not laminated glass. Railing heights at times remain unchanged between a five-storey building and 20-storey one. Spaces between mid-rails and vertical members between balusters are ignored all the time, with gaps large enough for small children to fall through. Incorrect baluster spacing and fixing can compromise the load bearing capacity, as the railings are supposed to hold up when people lean on them.

I think achieving a balance between the primary requirements of railings, and being able to specify the correct type of system or design should be the key concern of an architect.

Syed Md Ehteshamul Hasan

Can you list a few specifications? The specifications are clearly listed in the National Building Code. For example an office building 15m or higher should have at least two enclosed staircases with a minimum width of 1.5m. The maximum height of the riser should be 150mm and the tread width should be a minimum of 300mm. The width of staircase should also be checked by calculating the

COVER STORY | MANUFACTURER’S PERSPECTIVE

SH 52 May-June 2014

Customers approach us for the structural calculations...Mumbai-based Q-Railing India is the wholly-owned subsidiary of German building hardware major Q-Railing. Better known for its D-Line hand rail brand, the company has been pioneering the use of technically relevant and designer railing systems and glass balustrades.

In an exclusive chat with Sourcing Hardware, the Indian company’s marketing manager Pratima Nandy shared her concerns regarding the railings business.

What are the major concerns in India when it comes to employing railing systems? The railings market is flooded with fabricators and small time players who can supply low-priced systems and components as they are not backed with the required test certificates and do not qualify as per buildings codes. As one of the leading players in railing systems, Q-railing makes an effort to spread the importance of safety and durability, as we believe that the prime role of a railing in any building is to protect the users, along with maintaining the aesthetics. The Indian building and architect fraternity must consider this as a vital issue while designing and choosing railings.

How do you cope with changing demands and trends in India without having a full-fledged manufacturing base?We have a warehouse facility to stock our standard systems for quantum projects. Also, we have a 12,000sft manufacturing set-up at Bhiwadi in Mumbai with a monthly capacity of about 40-50 metric tons to feed the customised projects’ requirements in India. Meanwhile, our research and development team in Germany works on the global demands and upcoming trends to deliver new varieties of railing options for all kinds of applications.

Have you introduced any new products in the recent past?Over the last two years Q-railing’s R&D team has developed almost 125 new parts and components. Recently, we have introduced Q-Lights and Square Line 60x30. Q-Lights focus on the application of railings in both interiors and exteriors. It offers a durable lighted railing system with adjustable LED spotlights. Square

Line 60x30 is the robust version of the existing Square Line system, with a depth of 60mm to withstand even more loads which can be installed with vertical bars, glass with glass clamps, or the spider glass adapters, as an infill.

What are the typical queries of customers?Queries raised by customers are generally about the options of design and weight of the system, value engineering possibilities for price reduction. Most importantly, our customers approach us for structural calculations. At Q-railing we understand the requirement depending on the area of application, and accordingly design the system.

What points are kept in mind while developing railing systems?Our designers ensure that every system that we propose aesthetically matches the architect’s plan, and at the same time the installation should be easy and quick. Design and development of every system is concluded with its structural stability and durability test for the specific application. This is authenticated with test certificates and technical documents.

What are the growth drivers for railing systems?Modern architecture and safety awareness has driven the need for quality railing systems in India. Development and implementation of new building codes and standards will further compel the use of safe and quality railings. Meanwhile, rapidly increasing urbanisation has pushed the demand up for infrastructure. What’s also driving the industry is the growth in residential realty practically across the entire country and even in tier 2 and 3 cities.

Syed Md Ehteshamul Hasan

COVER STORY | RAILING PROJECTS

SH 54 May-June 2014

JSW HQThe JSW Center, the steel maker’s corporate headquarters, is a unique structural steel corporate building. It is one of the largest completely open office complexes in Mumbai at over 5,50,000sft and is located at Bandra Kurla Complex. Its two elliptical sides glide fluidly into each other in a balanced rhythm, a kind of metaphorical modern yin and yang.

The building offers 10 floors that include a 160 seat auditorium, cafeteria, grand entrance lobby, nearly 1,000 workstations and over 200 cabins for 1,600 people. The centre is LEED Platinum certified and incorporates not only the most advanced sustainable building technologies, but also the latest concepts in corporate office design and configuration. With its large atrium inside and the entirety of the exterior glazed with a high performance double skin, it provides maximum natural light while maintaining extremely efficient systems operations.

Dunex supplied and installed around 2,500rft of architect specified railing system in modular format, for a complete curved area. The railing consists of a vertical post of an 8mm thick plate, a handrail of Ø50mm round tube running on top, a foot rail of Ø50mm round running on bottom inner side and fixtures to clamp laminated toughened glass, all made of stainless steel 316. The whole building being a steel structure, the floor on which the railing was to be installed was also of a thick steel plate with 1-inch concrete layer on top.

The glass was to be suspended at the edge of the floor, covering the edge below 1ft. Hence, it was bolted to the base plate and to connector arms with swivel bolts on top. As a certain process for the bottom of the laminated glass was not available with manufacturers in India, the glass had to be imported. Dunex also supplied its door hardware and customised architectural glass fittings to suite the glass thickness.

Corporate Office, DubaiThe stairway was installed in the corporate office building of a major glass processing company. Dunex designed, manufactured and installed a spiral shaped modular stairway system consisting of stainless steel 316 grade runner, laminated toughened glass treads and twisted toughened glass railing. The stairway was designed to withstand its static load, additional load on use, and aggressive load for use during an emergency like fire. The uniqueness of this stairway is that it stands on its own structure, without the help of any additional structural support.

The glass, sourced from Dubai, has been supplied after detailed thermal inspection. Often, toughening is not done correctly due to impurity in glass or variations in temperature during the toughening process. This can result in the glass breaking some time after it has been installed. The glass supplier may feel the fault lies with incorrect installation.

SH 56 May-June 2014

COVER STORY

Mumbai International AirportRailing work at Mumbai Airport was done by Ozone Overseas Ltd in coordination with L&T and GVK. For this project, which was valued at around ̀ 5.6 crore, Ozone supplied the following in SS316 grade:

Railing Guard rail & column guard railColumn cladding Digital camera poles Gates Hose bib bollardsModular bollards 100% modular floor mounted guard railings

For this landmark project GVK had very high design and quality expectations. No cutting, welding or polishing was allowed on-site, except for drilling and screw based assembly. Therefore, only factory-finished materials were provided. This was made possible using CNC and automatic polishing machines, to facilitate easy and fast installation. Due to the modular construction, any damaged parts could simply be replaced. The railing was designed in a holistic way after considering various future requirements.

Column cladding has no visible screws on outside and no adhesive has been used, so it can be easily replaced.Hose bib bollards provide water supply to wash floors.Digital camera poles and glass railings were developed keeping in mind very detailed architect’s specifications.More than 8,000 customised tubes were cut at site without any error for the railing and mid rail, using pipe indexing laser cutting.

L&T felicitated Ozone’s team of architects and civil and mechanical engineers for the good job done, with a ‘Good Quality’ recognition.

Kolkata Airport Another landmark project from Ozone is the `7 crore railing system, entirely in SS304. The products supplied include:

Railing Guard rail Column guard railBollardsBenchesOffice partition systemAn on-site workspace was allocated

to Ozone’s team for developing and fabricating the railings and glass fittings. The office partition system was also designed in a modular way to create flexible enclosures and partitions.

Syed Md Ehteshamul Hasan