Clearview 250 - September 2022 | Page 77

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GLASS & SEALED UNITS Extra

A new wave : Flexible spacers transform Swedish skyline

© Anders Bobert
» IN HISTORIC GOTHENBERG , Sweden , they ’ re embarking on a staggeringly ambitious project that will see the city centre almost double in size – and at its heart , you ’ ll find a spectacular project featuring Edgetech warm-edge spacer bars .
The vision of Scandinavia ’ s largest architectural practise , White Arkitekter , the new Masthuggskajen district sits on the banks of the Göta River .
It ’ s that river that the dazzling , BREEAM-certified Våghuset building is designed to emulate . The 12-storey structure has a gleaming glass façade , which , on its East-facing aspect , looks like ocean waves .
Achieving this effect was a major undertaking , drawing on expertise from all around Europe . The façade was made in Lithuania , the curved profile was manufactured in Denmark , while the glazing was produced in Poland and Germany .
Over 300 curved IGUs were supplied to the project , made of 2 x 5mm laminated float glass with SunGuard ® SNX 60 solar control glazing , which lets in 60 % of daylight but only 29 % of heat , removing the need for solar shading .
Perimeter lighting has been integrated into the façade profiles , meaning the building ’ s outline is always visible .
Given the curved , cylindrically-shaped glass required in the façade , an outstanding flexible spacer like Edgetech ’ s Super Spacer ® TriSeal™ was the only solution .
TriSeal ’ s flexible design meant it could be moulded into the distinctive wavelike shape , while offering exceptional performance .
What ’ s more , TriSeal offers world-class performance with its unique triple seal design , incorporating an inner acrylic adhesive seal for immediate unit handling , a polyisobutylene primary seal for enhanced gas retention and low moisture vapour transmission , and an outer silicone seal for structural strength and durability .
The flexible foam structure handles both curved profiles and rectangles with ease , while at the same time enabling outstanding thermal efficiency .
These attributes will prove especially important given the Swedish climate , where winter temperatures can drop as low as -15 degrees Celsius .
www . edgetechig . co . uk

THE UK ’ S MOST ENERGY EFFICIENT ROOFLIGHT

» GLASS SPECIALIST TUFFX HAS announced the launch of the UK ’ s most energy efficient rooflight , Infinity Ecolite . This innovative rooflight design includes a number of unique properties , most notably an impressively high solar factor which minimises solar heat gain whilst still maintaining a high level of light transmission .
Typically , solar glass products include a glass tint that is applied to the outer pane of the unit to help manage heat transmission , but this tint also reduces light transmission . Whilst developing Infinity Ecolite , TuffX and its R & D partner created a unique new coating that provides superior solar control but , crucially , does away with the proportional loss of light usually associated with tinted glass products . For rooflights in particular , this can have a substantial impact on ambient light levels within the home .
Additionally , TuffX ’ s unique coating helps to maintain comfortable indoor
temperatures during the summer months , absorbing and reflecting twice as much heat as standard glass whilst still allowing plenty of natural light into the property . The whole unit design also works to retain heat well in winter , thanks to its impressively low 1.0 U-Value .
Infinity Ecolite was developed to help enable homeowners , installers and builders to achieve the new Approved Document O standard for mitigating overheating , which came into effect as part of the UK building regulations update in June this year .
“ With Infinity Ecolite you no longer have to compromise between light and comfort . This really is a unique product that we are bringing to the rooflight market ,” said Paul Higgins , TuffX ’ s Commercial Director .
“ Of all our Infinity products , we ’ re particularly proud of Infinity Ecolite . At a time when homeowners are facing significant price hikes in energy costs this product can significantly contribute to lower energy bills and also the carbon footprint of the home .
“ Infinity Ecolite rooflights are readily available in both standard or bespoke sizes , and we ’ re able to deliver direct to site , nationwide ,” Paul added .
Rooflights remain a growing market for TuffX , with this new product being the latest addition to the leading safety glass specialist ’ s Infinity range , which has steadily risen in popularity since its launch in 2019 .
www . tuffxglass . co . uk
CLEARVIEW-UK . COM SEPTEMBER 2022
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