Green facades against noise in large cities
Green facades against noise in large cities are an effective and sustainable alternative to the current lifestyle. Historically, nature has been introduced into urban environments through parks and green areas in delimited spaces. Over time this trend has been evolving, and more and more, the proposal aims at integrating nature and environmental awareness in our daily lives to develop a society that is as sustainable as possible.
What are green cities?
These cities are those that respect the environment to a greater extent and facilitate the coexistence of people with nature in their daily lives. Green cities seek to take advantage of natural resources, thus favoring friendly urban environments in such important aspects as green spaces, air quality, coexistence with animals or temperature regulation.
Large cities find it very difficult to adapt to this objective, which is why their authorities often seek disruptive solutions that attract sustainability without destroying everything that has already been built. One of the most effective solutions are vertical gardens. Flowers, aromatic plants and even urban gardens planted on walls that help clean the air and bring numerous benefits to people. Plants absorb CO2 from the air while producing oxygen, they have pleasant smells, they also regulate temperature and act as a layer against noise.
In cities like Singapore, always at the forefront of sustainability, or much closer, Vitoria-Gasteiz, named European Green Capital in 2012, we can find examples of this concept.
Our commitment to sustainability
At Metalesa we are committed to the environment and sustainability by providing innovative solutions, such as our screens against noise pollution. These screens are barriers specially designed to deal with the problem of noise pollution for both people and animals.
Today in particular, we focus on a solution for noise pollution that is also sustainable and provides great support for introducing vegetation into urban spaces.
Our Metagreen acoustic screens integrate nature into urban spaces in the style of vertical gardens. This product is in tune with the concepts of green cities and smart cities, since it provides the technology of acoustic screens against noise plus the benefits for the health of people and the environment with its natural cover of living vegetation.
Metagreen acoustic screens
The Metagreen sound-absorbing panel is made up of a hot-dip galvanized steel frame that fits between the fastening profiles of the support structure. Its interior is made up of rock wool and other materials that, together with the green plastic mesh, facilitate the growth of vegetation on both sides. In addition, they are sustainable, since the rock wool inside them is capable of retaining rainwater, which becomes a moisture reserve for the vegetation that grows outside.
Advantages of the Metagreen acoustic screen
Being a plant panel, it integrates magnificently with the landscape and blends in with the new model of green cities with vertical gardens. Among its most notable advantages it is important to highlight the natural properties of vertical gardens, such as the release of oxygen, as well as the absorption of CO2, temperature regulation and livening up of urban spaces, visually approaching natural spaces.
It also has numerous advantages such as its durability thanks to the galvanized anti-corrosion treatment, its excellent insulating and absorbing properties against noise pollution.
METAGREEN panel
Plant-like sound-absorbing panels
Where to install plant-based anti-noise screens?
One of the most common spaces where these screens are added is on roads, since their maintenance is minimal and simple. It is also very common to see them in urban, public and private areas, such as chalets or urbanizations due to their attractive plant aesthetics and their fantastic anti-noise properties. They perform a dual aesthetic and acoustic function.
How are Metagreen acoustic screens installed?
These screens are very easy to install, but it is convenient that any project is studied by our team of engineers to guarantee the expected acoustic result and the robustness of the solution.
Green cities are a great alternative to urban spaces far from nature. If you want more information about our Metagreen screens, or want to know our complete range of acoustic screens, contact us. We will be happy to help you.
Solutions to isolate traffic noise on roads and cities
Roads unite people. Every day it is estimated that millions of vehicles circulate on the roads.
At Metalesa, our goal is to ensure the safety of people. For this reason, we take care of guaranteeing safety while driving with our containment systems such as bridge parapets, terminals or crush cushions. However, on the roads there is another danger that is not seen, but heard. And not for vehicle occupants, but for the people who live around road infrastructures: noise pollution.
Noise pollution is a problem that we face every day both on roads and in urban environments. Its effects are harmful to people and the environment, therefore, society is increasingly becoming aware of it and taking action through specific action plans governed by the authorities.
Acoustic studies on roads
Precisely, one of these measures is the performance of acoustic studies. The pollution of a specific area can be measured with noise maps. If an excess of noise is concluded as a result of such study, the next step is to configure the optimum solution to attenuate it, normally with an acoustic screen.
Undoubtedly, acoustic screens are the best corrective measure to reduce the propagation of noise generated by road or rail traffic, since they act as a barrier between the receiver and the noise source, both absorbing and reflecting the noise waves. Thus, acoustic screens are the most widely used anti-noise systems in transport infrastructures, due to their rapid installation, their value for money and their effectiveness.
Our acoustic screens
At Metalesa, through the installation of our acoustic screens, we ensure the quality of life of people who struggle day to day traffic noise.
Our acoustic screens are conformed of sound-absorbing panels that provide quality acoustic and mechanical solutions. No only they minimize noise pollution from traffic on roads and railways, but also from many other sources such as industrial facilities (factories,...), commercial malls (air conditioning equipment), or massive events in public/private facilities (sport stadiums, leisure clubs, hotels…). All of our acoustic screens comply with European standards EN14388, EN16272 and EN16727.
Learn more about the Regulation of noise reduction devices for roads.
How to decide among different type of acoustic screens?
There are multiple drivers to analyse when choosing the right acoustic screen for a certain project.
- On the one hand, the requirements defined by the acoustic study should guide the project.
- It is essential to take into account the environmental and climatological agents to which the panels will be exposed. Mainly the wind loads that dictate the mechanical loads that the panel must support. Our experts in calculation of structures have extensive experience in designing the optimal solution for each case. But also other aspects such as the type of environment, which derives in different levels of corrosivity, and before which, the appropriate finishes must be applied. Or even climate or exposure to snow which may recommend different materials.
- Finally, aesthetics is another part of the decision. Goals such as integration with a forest or a green landscape, or even keeping nice views of an attractive panorama, are issues to take into account and that can make one solution more convenient than another.
All these aspects must be taken into account together so that the technicians in charge of carrying out the project select the panel that best suits the needs of each acoustic screen work. We have several panel configurations for each scenario, all of them accredited by tests carried out in accredited laboratories: metallic steel or aluminum, methacrylate, wood or vegetable mesh. Having said that, the most commonly installed screens for road and railway infrastructures are steel ones. We have numerous models that solve any casuistry. You can see all our acoustic screens at this link.
But in this article, we focus on less common, but equally interesting speaker configurations:
Metawood noise barrier with wooden panels
This sound-absorbing panel is made up of wood modules of varying dimensions, which fit between the HEA/HEB fastening profiles of the support structure.
The wooden acoustic panel consists of the following elements:
- Traffic side: In this part, pine wood boards are arranged with the possibility of making different combinations with boards horizontally, vertically and obliquely, achieving various aesthetic effects.
- Sound insulation: It is a semi-rigid rock wool panel with a black veil that protects it from erosion and humidity.
- Rear side: They are planed pine wood boards arranged horizontally.
- Thanks to the Metawood panel, maximum noise insulation and absorption is obtained. In addition, thanks to their natural materials they allow an excellent landscape integration.
Metagreen noise barrier with vegetal panels
Rock wool and other materials are placed inside the vegetable acoustic panels, along with a green plastic mesh that facilitates the growth of vegetation. Rock wool is capable of retaining rainwater inside, becoming a highly valuable moisture reserve both for animals and to facilitate the growth of vegetation. Metagreen panels are made of recyclable and sustainable materials.
The Metagreen acoustic screen guarantees an excellent acoustic and absorbent effect, in addition, it has a long durability when undergoing a galvanized anti-corrosion treatment.
Mixed steel and methacrylate noise barrier
The mixed steel and methacrylate acoustic screen, like the previous two, also has exceptional sound-absorbing qualities. We put at your disposal all kinds of varied designs.
In addition, its aesthetics provide excellent landscape integration.
We show you the mixed acoustic screen of steel and methacrylate that we installed in the work of the N-1 in Lasarte (Guipúzcoa).
If you need more information about our acoustic screens, or want to know our complete range, contact us. We will be happy to help you.
How has mobility in cities changed?
Mobility through cities is becoming more and more “à la carte” while ways of transport are increasingly modernizing, thus adapting to the needs of different profiles of people. We see how every day companies offer mobility solutions for cities that adapt their services to the comfort and personalization that citizens are demanding, making them more ergonomic, economical and trying to be as respectful as possible with the environment.
The importance of adapting
Currently we want to move faster, save time, and if possible, with the lowest energy consumption and the lowest economic cost. The proliferation of geolocation technology has enabled the use of applications that help us to know real time the arrival of the bus at our stop or how the traffic is in the city. Many cities, in their quest to become smart and sustainable, have established new urban solutions to improve the use of public transport, and have limited traffic in some areas, even prohibiting the circulation of private cars in downtown areas with a high concentration of users.
This trend has materialized in the deployment of solutions such as bollards or bike lanes, the adaptation of all horizontal and vertical signs, and the offer of subsidies for the purchase of personal mobility vehicles. The response of the citizens has not waited long, and thus we have seen massive purchase of bicycles and / or electric scooters, not only in large cities, but also in smaller towns. Little by little, all these measures integratede into comprehensive sustainable urban mobility plans are working together to create pollution-free urban areas.
In a society that is increasingly aware of the importance of caring for the environment, and willing to adapt itself to the new times, it has been inevitable that this type of electric personal mobility is in fashion and that it is expected to continue growing. At the same time, this has acted as a catalyst for the industry to innovate and bring new mobility solutions to market.
This set of chained consequences lead our cities into a virtuous circle that reinforces investment in safe urban mobility, either with solutions such as bollards, or with other types of parapets, guardrails or urban containment barriers. In short, minimizing the risk for pedestrians, cyclists, or those who lean towards the electric scooter.
Our urban mobility solutions
Our commitment to society lays on our purpose of saving lives. This has led Metalesa to work for a long time to improve people's lives. Urban solutions to bring an improved safety for citizens in their daily urban mobility, is a key area where we have been concentrating our efforts in recent years. Some of our most demanded products to improve mobility in cities are urban parapets, cyclopedestrian railings and bollards
- The urban parapet, which Metalesa manufactures and installs, is a containment system designed to be installed on urban roads or with a limitation of up to 20, 30 or 50km/h. Manufactured for its perfect integration in the urban areas such as streets, avenues or roundabouts.
- As for the cyclopedestrian railings, we have a wide variety of models capable of adapting to the road infrastructures of any city. It is an urban containment system in order to protect both pedestrians and cyclists who pass through the bike lane from road traffic.
- We also have a wide variety of bollards. Its main objective is to delimit vehicle access to pedestrian, cycling, or leisure areas. To this day, it continues to be a safe bet for the improvement of mobility in cities. We have also carried out a number of installations in private areas of industries or logistics centers.
If you want to put an end to these problems and want a smart solution, don't hesitate to contact us. Our service of technicians and advisers of the commercial department will not hesitate to offer you a proposal that adjusts to your reality so that our service is 100% effective.
Discover our solutions in Railings
Protection is our goal, that has always been our motto and the purpose for which we work. This translates into offering the best protection systems to society, whether in our immediate environment, or in the countries where we market our products.
In today's post we will specifically talk about our range of handrails, intended for various functions, from pedestrian protection, limiting passage areas in railway infrastructures, to install on bridges and viaducts acting as a barrier to avoid unwanted falls, supports in stairs, and many others.
Guardrail types
Barandillas de acero Steel railings
Steel railings are pedestrian restraint systems, which are installed in urban areas, railways, or on highway bridges. It is important to note that they are not designed or tested to contain vehicles, for that are the META13 and META16 metal parapets.
The steel railings are easy to install and, if the client so requires, they can be integrated with the landscape thanks to the wide variety of models, finishes and thermo-lacquered colours that we offer in our catalogue.
In our catalogue, you can find a wide variety of models that we manufacture as standard and of which we usually have stock.
Stainless steel railings
Stainless steel railings are also used to ensure safety in areas where people pass by in infrastructures, for example, in train or metro stations. But their aesthetic appearance makes them very appropriate for any type of urban area or for private facilities such as industries or shopping centers.
Although the most common railings consist of handrails, cross bars and vertical posts, we have at our customers' disposal a wide variety of models with very attractive unique designs for all types of environments. In any case, we are always open to making custom designs to order if the client so requires.
Stainless steel railings stand out for providing a modern look in any environment and, furthermore, one of their great advantages is their durability and the almost absence of maintenance and cleaning.
Railings with steel cable
Without a doubt, the railing with steel cable is an elegant option. The steel cables give a modern touch to the environment, increase visibility through the railing itself and facilitate its integration in any place given its minimalist profile.
Railings with perforated sheet
In the same way as metal railings with steel cable, railings with perforated sheet metal also present a very attractive appearance for installation in cities, since they can be manufactured with any perforated design in the material. Depending on the type of perforation, you can create a design that provides safety to the pedestrian without sacrificing aesthetics in streets and railway areas.
Anti-Corrosion treatment in our Railings
At Metalesa, all the railings that we design and manufacture follow current regulations and the highest quality standards. Since they are products destined to remain mainly in the open, being victims of the adversities of the climate and the passage of time, all our railings are subjected to anti-corrosion treatments that make them very resistant to all types of environmental aggressions. All our railings can be finished in thermo-lacquered, galvanized, or both procedures combined to offer greater resistance to weather conditions.
Thermo-lacquered in Railings
The thermo-lacquered finish is especially suitable for railings that are outdoors. A powder paint coating is applied to the pieces that make up the railing and they are placed in the oven at 220º to seal all the pieces. With this procedure, finishes with a plasticized look are achieved and with the possibility of providing the railings with finishes with different colors.
Hot dip galvanized in Railings according to ISO 1461
Galvanizing is a finishing technique which applies extreme heat to iron or steel pieces to immerse them in molten zinc at 450º. When immersed, this coating is applied both inside and outside the piece, thus offering a complete coating on the entire set. Thanks to this procedure, the railing is sealed and more difficult to rust, being resistant to environmental humidity, extending the useful life of the product in coastal environments.
Galvanized and Thermo-lacquered on Railings
If you want a complete coating, we can apply both finishes. First, zinc galvanizing is applied to the pieces to cover them both indoors and outdoors and then thermo-lacquering is applied to offer a second powder paint coating to give the piece a touch of color. In this way we can manufacture parts that are resistant in the most aggressive environments.
En el caso que estés buscando soluciones de barandillas de acero para ciudades, puedes contactar con nosotros y nuestro equipo comercial podrá darte una solución que se adapte a tus necesidades. Además, también fabricamos barandillas de acero a medida que se adaptan a las necesidades del entorno. ¿Hablamos?
In the event that you are looking for steel railing solutions for cities, you can contact us and our commercial team will be able to give you a solution that adapts to your needs. In addition, we also manufacture custom steel railings to suit the needs of the environment. We speak?
