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Protecting priceless manuscripts in ambitious Qatar National Library building
Edgetech ’ s world-renowned Super Spacer has played a crucial role in the construction of one of the Middle East ’ s most spectacular new buildings .
» THE CELEBRATED PRODUCT WAS used to deliver the stunning 5,500 squaremeter glass façade of the Qatar National Library .
The 42,000 square meter structure is home to over a million books , and 500,000 digital editions . The library ’ s most valuable volumes are kept in a six-meter deep , glass-ceilinged room reminiscent of an excavated labyrinth .
Its diamond-shaped façade area has been designed to filter out the glaring Middle Eastern sun , while still letting in enough light to illuminate the library interior .
The façade has been designed without any metallic elements , ensuring there are no thermal bridges to conduct heat into the building – a crucial consideration , since not only does Qatar routinely experience summer temperatures in excess of 40 degrees Celsius , it ’ s unfortunately a part of the world that ’ s being severely affected by global warming .
Its double-glazed IGUs are curved , ensuring that the façade is both self-supporting , and exceptionally resistant to wind and other strong weather .
A low-e coating , and a solar control coating , filter and reflect sunlight , and a grey grid of 3mm metallic dots , with a precise 6mm spacing , was burnt into them in order to reduce radiation transmission even further .
The need for both exceptional thermal performance and a product that was compatible with the building ’ s curved IGUs made Super Spacer ® TriSeal™ Flex an obvious choice , as Edgetech Managing Director Chris Alderson explains .
“ In places like Qatar , the constant fluctuations between incredible heat in the day and much cooler evenings exerts considerable pressure on the edge seal . Super Spacer ’ s structural foam is able to absorb that pumping motion , allowing IGUs to withstand the pressure .
“ This is one reason that Super Spacer has been specified in some of the world ’ s most iconic , architecturally ambitious buildings – and we ’ re delighted to see it used to such stunning effect in Qatar ’ s National Library .”
Edgetech ’ s Super Spacer ® flexible foam-based spacer systems act as energyefficient warm edge spacers in insulating glass windows . They significantly reduce energy loss to the outside , largely prevent condensation and also contribute to the lifetime of a window . On average , worldwide , more than 300 million metres are sold annually in over 90 countries .
For more information please call + 44 ( 0 ) 2476 639931 or visit www . edgetechig . co . uk
48 » DEC 2020 » CLEARVIEW-UK . COM