Inspiria Science Center in Sarpsborg, Norway on the main road to Oslo is hard to miss. Its stunning glass and aluminium exterior is emblematic of the newly inaugurated centre’s focus on sustainability.

Glass and aluminium are perfect building materials for energy-efficient structures. Both materials are completely recyclable, and Sapa’s 4150 sx (facade) and 1074 sx (windows) aluminium profiles easily support the massive three-pane windows that let in lots of light but are highly energy efficient – approximately 0.8 w/m²k.

The windows also insulate against ambient highway noise. “Sapa gave us all the help we needed with technical aspects of the project. We had very good dialog with the company,” says Jørgen Slydahl, project engineer with Saint-Gobain Bøckmann, which supplied the centre’s facades