Thermal
insulation glare free light
Cabot Corporation - Nanogel® Aerogel optimises thermal insulation and natural light at new sports centre
Using multi-wall polycarbonate sheet insulated with Cabot
Corporation’s translucent Nanogel aerogel for the external walls
of a new sports complex has provided uniform glare-free light
and excellent thermal insulation, reducing capital costs and
heating requirements.
Approximately 1450m² of insulated PC sheet has been used at the
new Souchaix sports complex in France, which has been designed
to minimise environmental impact. Filling the 25mm voids in the
sheet with Nanogel has produced a U-value of 0.89 W/m².K, which
has reduced the capital and running costs of the heating system
and provided 55 per cent light transparency, resulting in
uniform glare-free light inside the building.
The PC sheet/Nanogel solution avoided the need for heavy-duty
louvres to control sunlight within the building, which would
have cost at least £50,000 more and spoilt the uniform, abstract
design desired. The PC/Nanogel panels were supplied for the
project in a standard width of 1.05 metres and lengths up to six
metres.
Nanogel is a silica-based aerogel weighing only 60-80 kg/m³ with
very effective thermal and sound insulation performance, while
allowing light to pass through. It is also permanently
hydrophobic, resisting moisture uptake and mildew formation.
Email:
gerard_romainville@cabot-corp.com