Aluminium battens and fins have become one of the most effective ways to add depth, texture, and functional performance to a facade. conneQt is Valmond & Gibson’s aluminium batten and adaptor system - designed to work as a standalone screening product or as an integration layer with our interloQ and element13 cladding systems. It is non-combustible, tested to AS1530.1, and built from the same alloy family as interloQ.
What is conneQt and how does it work?
conneQt serves two distinct purposes, and understanding both is useful when considering facade design options.
As a standalone batten system, conneQt provides aluminium battens and screening elements for projects where the design calls for linear facade features rather than - or in addition to - flat cladding panels. Vertical battens, horizontal battens, architectural fins, and screening elements can all be delivered using conneQt profiles. This makes it suitable for facades where the primary intent is solar control, privacy, visual rhythm, or the concealment of services.
As an integration adaptor, conneQt connects with interloQ rainscreen panels and element13 solid aluminium panels to create layered, mixed-material facades. Where a building calls for cladding on some elevations and batten features on others - or both on the same elevation - conneQt provides the connection system that ties it together. The adaptor function means that battens and cladding can share a common substructure, simplifying detailing and maintaining a consistent material language across the facade.
conneQt is manufactured from 6060/6063 aluminium alloy in T5 temper - the same specification as interloQ. This means the material properties are identical: 180 MPa ultimate tensile strength, 140 MPa yield, 2,680 kg/m3 density. When conneQt battens sit alongside interloQ or element13 panels, they are from the same material family and respond to environmental conditions in the same way.
What facade effects can battens and fins achieve?
This is where conneQt earns its place in the design conversation. Battens and fins create effects that flat cladding alone cannot deliver - and they are increasingly central to how Australian architects approach facade design on multi-storey residential, commercial, healthcare, and education buildings.
Vertical battens
Vertical battens create rhythm and repetition across a facade. The interplay between batten and shadow changes throughout the day as the sun moves, giving the building a dynamic quality that reads differently in the morning than it does at midday. Vertical battens are commonly used to add visual depth to otherwise flat facades, break down the perceived mass of large buildings, and create a sense of height and slenderness. They are one of the most straightforward batten applications, and one of the most effective.
Horizontal battens
Horizontal battens provide solar shading and a layered, banded appearance. On north-facing facades in particular, horizontal battens or blades can significantly reduce direct solar gain while maintaining views and natural light. The horizontal emphasis also works well on buildings where the design intent is to express width or ground the structure visually. In multi-storey residential projects, horizontal battens are frequently used across balcony fronts and podium levels.
Architectural fins
Fins - deeper profile battens oriented to manage light and sightlines - provide directional solar control and privacy screening. Angled or rotated fins can block direct sun from specific orientations while allowing diffused light and ventilation. This is a practical solution for facades that need to manage western sun exposure or provide privacy between closely spaced buildings without resorting to solid barriers. Fin facades are becoming more common on build-to-rent and student accommodation projects, where balcony privacy and thermal performance both matter.
Screening
Plant rooms, car park facades, service risers, and mechanical areas all need to be enclosed while maintaining ventilation. Aluminium batten screening conceals these elements while allowing airflow - a functional requirement that also contributes to the overall facade aesthetic. Rather than treating screening as an afterthought, many architects now design the screening zones as a deliberate part of the facade composition, using the same batten profiles and finishes as the feature areas.
Mixed orientation
Combining vertical and horizontal battens on the same facade creates more complex visual patterns and allows different zones of the building to be treated differently. A podium might use horizontal battens for solar shading, while the tower above uses vertical battens for visual rhythm. This kind of mixed approach is becoming standard practice on larger projects, and conneQt’s adaptor system is designed to accommodate it without requiring multiple unrelated batten products.
Why does non-combustibility matter for batten elements?
This is a point that gets overlooked more often than it should. When designers specify batten or screening elements on an external wall, those elements form part of the external wall assembly. The NCC requirements for non-combustible construction on Type A and Type B buildings apply to these elements - not just the primary cladding behind them.
Aluminium battens meet AS1530.1 as non-combustible. Timber battens - including timber-look aluminium alternatives that use combustible cores or coatings - may not. As certifiers increasingly scrutinise every component of the external wall assembly, not just the face cladding, the material choice for battens and screening elements has become a compliance question, not just an aesthetic one.
conneQt is CSIRO tested to AS1530.1 and classified as non-combustible. When it sits on the facade alongside interloQ or element13, the entire assembly - cladding, battens, and adaptors - shares the same non-combustible classification. This simplifies the compliance pathway for the building certifier and removes a common source of project delays: late-stage queries about whether the screening or batten elements meet the same fire performance standard as the primary cladding.
For architects and specifiers, this matters most on Class 2 to Class 9 buildings where non-combustible construction is required. Specifying a non-combustible batten system from the outset avoids the risk of a certifier rejecting a timber or composite alternative during the approval process.
How does conneQt integrate with interloQ and element13?
Mixed facade designs - where some zones are clad and others feature battens, screening, or fins - are increasingly common. The challenge is maintaining consistent detailing, aesthetics, and compliance across the transition between systems.
conneQt’s adaptor function addresses this directly. It is engineered to connect with both interloQ and element13, meaning that a building can use rainscreen cladding on its primary elevations and batten features on its screening zones, podium, or accent areas, all within a single product family.
interloQ + conneQt is the most common combination. interloQ’s interlocking rainscreen panels provide the primary cladding, while conneQt battens add vertical or horizontal features, break up large cladded areas, or provide screening at specific levels. The shared alloy specification means both products accept the same powder coat and anodised finishes, so colour matching between cladding and battens is straightforward.
element13 + conneQt pairs solid aluminium panels with batten elements. This combination works well where the design calls for flat, seamless panel zones alongside more textured, linear batten zones. element13’s PVDF-coated finish and conneQt’s powder coat or anodised finish can be specified to complement each other.
In both cases, the adaptor system means the transition between cladding and battens is handled within V&G’s product range. This gives the facade engineer a consistent set of material properties to work with, the installer a familiar fixing methodology, and the certifier a single supplier’s compliance documentation covering the full external wall assembly.
Specifications and finishes
conneQt shares the core material specification of the interloQ system:
- Alloy: 6060/6063, T5 temper
- Density: 2,680 kg/m3
- Tensile strength: 180 MPa ultimate, 140 MPa yield
- Modulus of elasticity: 68 GPa
- Thermal expansion: 23 um/m/K
- Non-combustible: CSIRO tested to AS1530.1 (Report FNC12595)
- 100% recyclable
Finish options include powder coat and anodised. Powder coat allows conneQt battens to be colour-matched to adjacent interloQ or element13 panels - the same colour can be applied across all three products for a seamless facade appearance. Anodised finishes provide a metallic aesthetic that reads differently from powder coat and is well-suited to buildings where the design intent is an expressed aluminium look.
Both finishes are durable, UV-stable, and suitable for coastal and urban environments with a standard cleaning regime of mild detergent and warm water every three months.
Adding a design dimension
conneQt adds a layer of design possibility that takes facade outcomes beyond flat cladding. Whether it is used as a standalone screening system or integrated with interloQ and element13, it provides a non-combustible, compliant, and aesthetically flexible way to introduce battens, fins, and screening elements into a facade design.
For specification support, technical data, or to discuss how conneQt fits a specific project, contact the Valmond & Gibson team.
Related Reading
- interloQ Specification Guide: Everything You Need to Know
- Choosing the Right Aluminium Facade System for Your Project
- Subframe Design for Aluminium Rainscreen Cladding
- Concealed vs Face-Fixed Cladding Systems
Last updated: 3 April 2026