BAU 2027

Tomorrow. Upgraded.

WICONA showcases system solutions for future-ready and circular building envelopes at BAU 2027

From 11 to 15 January 2027, WICONA will be presenting current systems and concepts for the building envelope of today and tomorrow at Stand 338 in Hall C1 at BAU in Munich. Together with TECHNAL, a Hydro Building Systems brand, the company will be exhibiting on an approx. 1250 m² stand. The focus will be on future-ready façade solutions, low-carbon materials and innovative approaches to renovation that drive forwards the sustainable transformation of existing buildings in a targeted way.

Four perspectives on the future of construction

The exhibition motto "Tomorrow. Upgraded." stands for ongoing development. Just as nature builds upon what already exists through the changing of the four seasons, and continually creates something new, construction is also about purposefully re-developing and enhancing buildings and systems, and keeping materials within a closed-loop cycle. This principle forms the conceptual framework of the WICONA exhibition stand and is brought to life through four perspectives: "Ambitious Buildings," "New Generation Solutions," "Smart Transformation," and "Circularity." Together, they showcase the new opportunities they are creating for cities and buildings.

Ambitious Buildings: Real-world façade highlights

Using mock-ups of current reference projects, WICONA is presenting outstanding façade concepts that have been custom-developed together with the respective project partners. For the new building of the Department of Biomedicine at the University of Basel, a high-tech façade featuring a micro-scale glazing grid and electrochromic glass defines the building’s appearance.

New Generation Solutions: Comprehensive system platform

Another highlight is the New Generation of windows, doors and façades. In view of increasing requirements with regard to sustainability, performance and flexibility, the market needs solutions that go beyond individual output values and instead focus on the long-term value of the building envelope. This is where the New Generation platform comes in: It combines technical excellence with circularity and a responsible approach to material consumption. This includes at least 75% recycled and up to 95% recyclable materials and digital traceability by means of the FRAME ID product identification system.

At the same time, the New Generation builds on decades of the proven WICONA Unisys principle, which has enabled a consistent and modular system logic across different product categories. Systems can therefore be flexibly tailored to different requirements and further developed to be future-proof.In this way, the New Generation combines maximum creative freedom and efficient fabrication processes with the highest requirements in terms of protection against fire, smoke and break-ins, laying the foundations for safe, secure, sustainable and durable buildings. The New Generation will be showcased in Munich – including the WICLINE 90 NG window system, the WICSTYLE 90 NG door system and the WICTEC 50 NG façade system, as well as the WICTEC 50 A NG add-on construction.

In addition to this, WICONA will introduce an update of its established 3D planning software WICTOP. The platform supports architects, planners and fabricators with the digital design of buildings and façades – from configuration, cost estimates and ordering right through to fabrication. Aside from displaying infill and vent weights directly in the design menu, new features also include functions for the management of fabrication batches and individual dimensions.

Smart Transformation: Targeted upgrades of existing buildings

One of the central ideas behind “Tomorrow. Upgraded.” is the targeted upgrade of existing buildings. As a result, there is greater emphasis on the cost-effective, resource-efficient renovation of windows and façades. The aim is to retain the existing structures, refurbish them in a targeted way, and adapt them to meet current requirements. One specific example of how this is being implemented is the WICONA renovation window. The idea is to retain the existing frame with its intact connection to the building structure, and only the window vents, fittings and gaskets are replaced. In this way, interference with the fabric of the building, installation work, and interfaces with other trades are all minimised, while operation of the building can continue largely as usual. The concept is simple: the existing frame and its intact connection to the building remain in place, while only the window sashes, hardware and seals are replaced. In this way, interference with the fabric of the building, installation work, and interfaces with other trades are all minimised, while operation of the building can continue largely as usual.

Circularity throughout the entire life cycle

For WICONA, circularity means taking the entire life cycle of a building into account. This starts with the use of aluminium that contains a high proportion of recycled material and continues through to high-performance system solutions that are designed for long-term use and easy dismantling. At the end of a building’s useful life, the aluminium can be recovered and fed back into the material cycle. The recovered material is treated at the Hydro recycling plant in Dormagen and then made into new profiles for window, door and façade systems. By keeping valuable resources in the material cycle, WICONA is helping to reduce the carbon footprint of the building envelope, while also enabling it to retain its performance and value for the long term.

“The future of construction lies, to a large extent, in existing buildings. With ‘Tomorrow. Upgraded.’, we are demonstrating at BAU how existing buildings can be further developed in a technical, cost-effective and circular way using practical system solutions – and are therefore providing concrete answers to the current requirements of the market. We are looking forward to talking to our partners and trade visitors in person in Munich.”

Anne-Christine Roulet, Strategic Unit Director DACH and CSEE, Hydro Building Systems.