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Structural Properties of SentryGlas® Plus make Glass Façade Thinner and Lighter

The 'Cologne Triangle' by architects Gatermann + Schossig is a striking yet slender 103 square metre (338 square feet) tall office tower wrapped in glass that seems to defy traditional laws of aerodynamics and transparency. The tower's south façade, which is subject to particularly demanding wind load and solar requirements, is double-glazed to incorporate laminated glass with DuPont™ SentryGlas® Plus structural interlayer.

Josef Failer of glass laminator Flachglas-Wernberg said: ‘The south façade of the Cologne Triangle owes its great transparency and feeling of lightness, combined with outstanding post-breakage strength, to an entirely new point-fixed glazing system incorporating 2,500 m2 (26,910 ft2) of laminated glass with SentryGlas® Plus, which looks almost 'frameless' to the eye.

‘Using this new-generation architectural laminated glass construction with SentryGlas® Plus interlayer (Flachglas has trademarked its new laminated glass product SiglaPlus®), we have successfully met the structural strength requirements of the architects, the engineers and the local building authorities - including stringent requirements for wind load performance - with a solution that is about 20 percent thinner than traditional laminated glass.

‘The outstanding post-breakage performance of SentryGlas® Plus structural interlayer is key to the success of the laminated glass in The Cologne Triangle's south façade. In addition to its rigidity, DuPont's structural interlayer also contributes to the transparency of the façade because of its excellent edge stability, which means no delamination and no discoloration.’

The glazing consists of 6 mm (0.2 inches) fully-tempered Pilkington Optiwhite® glass + 1.52 mm (0.060 inches) SentryGlas® Plus + 8 mm (0.3 inches) fully-tempered Optiwhite® glass. Flachglas worked with façade engineer Schmidlin Deutschland AG of Berlin to complete the Cologne Triangle's façade.

Gatermann + Schossig principal, Professor Doerthe Gatermann, said: ‘The tower takes the form of a triangle with three curved sides. Our concept was to create a contemporary building for the city of Cologne. The city authorities love the very modern form of an ethereal glass tower, and they hope that it will become a new Cologne landmark.’

She continued: ‘The Cologne Triangle's unusual glass form means that city dwellers and visitors alike still have uninterrupted views of our city's majestic cathedral, which lies just across the river; it has also enabled us to create an office tower that is highly energy efficient. The glass façades use the sun's energy to help heat the building in winter.’

This is the first installation of a laminated glass façade with SentryGlas® Plus on a new building in Germany - and in Europe. In 2004, Flachglas also used a two-sided supported façade using SentryGlas® Plus for the 5,000 m2 (53,820 ft2) refit of a corporate headquarters in Hamburg, working with façade engineer Strabag AG.

DuPont Glass Laminating Solutions provides materials, services and innovations for a better, safer world. The business operates within the DuPont Packaging and Industrial Polymers strategic business unit, part of DuPont's US$ 5.3 billion Performance Materials growth platform.

Smiths, a brand new contemporary 4 star hotel in Gretna Green has Synseal's Legend70 windows and patio doors installed by Preston based Lancashire Double Glazing.

The £150,000 contract completed in January includes grey PVC-U windows and patio doors as well as aluminium curtain walling, fire doors and an automatic entry system. Lancashire Double Glazing also supplied a range of glazing solutions, to reduce noise and heat-loss with acoustically rated, reflective and ceramic glazing.

The hotel sits next to the site of one of the most famous historic marriage venues The Old Blacksmith Shop.

‘We are delighted to be part of such a prestigious and historically significant project,’ says Alan Wood, Lancashire Double Glazing's Commercial Director. ‘In the last four years we have built the commercial department sales to £3.5 million a year and specialise in large projects like schools and health centres. Last year we used coloured profile in 30 schools and 3 health centres. We are so confident in our commercial department that the group is investing over £1 million in new machinery and a purpose built factory, which is due for completion in May.’

Tel: 01623 443 200 (Synseal)

Bringing light into the interior of a historic stately home recognised as one of a hundred endangered sites of significance worldwide, the Rooflight Company once again proves its conservation credentials in the restoration of Stowe House.

In alliance with the Stowe House Preservation plan, the Rooflight Company has helped in achieving the aims of renovating and conserving the external fabric of the building and upgrading the heritage aspect of parts of the structure currently degraded by modern development.

The company supplied twelve of its rooflights for the project, including 3 specially designed Lanterns, an Octagon and 7 'special' Conservation Rooflights®. The company replaced the previous examples, which were made of wood and, in some cases, cast iron.

Additional apertures were created elsewhere on the roof, which consists of three separate areas - two winged roofs made from stone slate, an expanse of flat lead roof, and some pitched roofs also made of lead.

An almost complete record of the building accounts - the 'Stowe Papers' - enabled historically accurate repairs and details to be carried out, and products from the Rooflight Company were used because of their ability to provide an authentic aspect combined with the requisite level of quality and performance.

Specifically designed by architect and company chairman Peter King in order to meet the need for a product appropriate for use in historic applications, the Conservation Rooflight(r) is a faithful reproduction of a traditional model conforming to the highest modern standards of insulation, weather tightness and safety, and is considered by architects, conservation officers and the National Trust to be the most suitable for use in the sympathetic restoration of older buildings.

With a history dating back to 1676, Stowe House is one of the earliest neo-classical palaces in existence, and was remodelled throughout the 18th Century by eminent architects including Vanbrugh, Gibbs, Kent and Soane.

Since 1923, the building has been home to Stowe School, a co-educational, independent boarding school that counts Richard Branson among its former pupils.

The house and the majority of the garden monuments are classified as Grade I in the statutory List of Buildings of Architectural or Historic Importance and, in recent times, the grounds have become a popular location for weddings, corporate functions and backdrops for magazines and movie sets.

The Stowe House Preservation Trust was established on 30th June 1997 with the object of restoring and preserving the estate for the benefit of the nation and the public.

English Heritage worked in close consultation with the Trust and, following four years of painstaking restoration, the building and its magnificent grounds are now open to the public.

Web: http://www.therooflightcompany.co.uk

Beaufort's new Advanced aluminium system has met the aesthetic and performance demands of a hilltop conservatory in the heart of the Cotswolds. Specified in an attractive moss green finish, the conservatory blends perfectly with its rural surroundings in the ancient village of Twyning near Tewkesbury.

The Advanced System's internally glazed range of windows is fully Part L compliant and weather tested to BS 6375. Combined with Beaufort's tough polyester powder paint finish the Advanced System has provided a good solution for the conservatory's exposed location.

Trade Plas Ltd in nearby Nailsworth designed, fabricated and installed the bespoke conservatory. ‘Aluminium met the client's exacting specification, with its slim sightlines, stable construction and variety of contoured profiles and colours,’ says Richard Phelps, Production Manager at Trade Plas. ‘With all these advantages it's not surprising that sales of our Beaufort aluminium conservatories are on the up.’

The 4.5m x 5m conservatory for the detached property in Twyning features a hipped roof valley gutter design and was fabricated from Beaufort's recently launched Advanced System. Direct Fix 70mm internally glazed casement windows were selected from the range complete with built-in trickle ventilators - a labour-saving feature of the new System. The company says that the Advanced is the first internally glazed aluminium system to incorporate built-in trickle ventilators as standard, together with a double bead option that eliminates the need for dummy vents.

In addition, the use of concealed coupling bars by Trade Plas has ensured a perfect match and fit with the conservatory's Quantal roof system. The 1.1w/m2K glazing installed throughout benefits from the latest self-cleaning technology, while warm edge spacers ensure reduced heat transfer around the perimeter of the insulated glazing units.

Set up 15 years ago as a trade supplier of PVC-U windows Trade Plas started installing about 10 years ago. The company subsequently added the Beaufort aluminium system to give its customers more choice, says Richard: ‘We've recently expanded our showroom to accommodate more aluminium displays in response to growing demand. Beaufort provides excellent back-up and in fact the company worked with us to provide our own range of standard finishes, including Cream which complements the honey-coloured Cotswold stone perfectly.’

Tel: 01633 29 40 40
Web: http://www.beaufortsecure.co.uk

H&B Design Consultants Assist Thames Valley Windows

The brief for this H&B Design Consultants conservatory was not only to form a relaxation area for the end client, but also a link between the existing building and new extension being built at the same time.

This meant H&B had to take the heights and eaves details from this specification and incorporate them into the portal and roof design.

Thames Valley Windows, based in Bracknell, Berkshire had worked closely alongside its client and had progressed the project to such a stage as they then needed to work with a specialist large span company as the design and detailing took it outside the realms of being a standard conservatory.

Mark Schofield, Owner of Thames Valley Windows then contacted H&B Design Consultants to assist with the project. After initial costs and designs were submitted back to the customer for approval, Thames Valley then asked H&B Design Consultants to carry out a site survey and supply both the portal and roof unglazed to allow the company to supply its own windows, doors and glazing.

‘Due to the client wanting specific bar spacings and working around the window and door layout, which the client insisted upon, this meant that we could not position our portals were we would normally detail them to go,’said Nick Booth, Director of H&B Design Consultants.

‘It was decided that the main portals would be manufactured with a flat top rather than coming up to an apex beneath the ridge which would allow a full length beam to be cantilevered over. On each end of the beam was detailed a radius spider arrangement which allowed all the hip portals to be connected and bolted.

‘Thames Valley Windows provided the installation. The end result proved to be such a hit with the end client that our next combined venture is to cover his outdoor swimming pool.

Nick added ‘Hats off to Mark and his company. Thames Valley Windows has a reputation in its area for providing a professional service and it was pleasing to work with a company who not only understood what was involved in this project but was prepared to go to any lengths to satisfy the end clients' requirements’.

The ultra-slim sightlines and attractive styling of aluminium windows from Beaufort Secure Design have satisfied stringent local planning requirements at a period building in the heart of London. Built around 1930, Kenton Court comprises over 80 fully refurbished flats above shops in Kensington High Street.

The new aluminium windows, together with a number of doors, have been installed by Henry & Sons UK and provide a suitable replacement for the building's original steel fenestration in terms of both appearance and performance. According to Henry Malczuk, Proprietor of Henry and Sons UK, Beaufort's technical team played a key role within the supply chain. ‘Beaufort assisted in the specification of an acceptable replacement system, preparing detailed drawings and technical data to present to Kensington and Chelsea Council as well as supporting our meetings with residents.’

The casement windows specified for Kenton Court were fabricated using Beaufort's 70mm deep direct fix outer frame with a slim transom and a combination of side and top hung vents. The windows also feature surface mounted Georgian Bars, requested by the Council to maintain the same sightlines along the front elevation as with the previous steel frames and to break up the reflection of the glass when viewed from an angle.

The new aluminium windows have been supplied in a highly durable white polyester powder paint finish to harmonise with surrounding properties. Beaufort's high gloss finish is resistant to the pollution and dirt that can discolour other window materials, making it particularly suitable for Kenton Court, which is located on a busy London thoroughfare. Inherently strong and highly durable, Beaufort aluminium windows will not rust or warp and do not need painting and as such represent a low maintenance solution.

In addition to meeting the project's aesthetic demands, windows and doors from Beaufort's aluminium product range deliver improved thermal performance over steel and comply fully with the energy efficiency demands of Document L in both dwelling and non-dwelling applications.

Based in North West London, Henry and Sons UK is now one of Beaufort's Approved Fabricators having previously supplied the aluminium system alongside its PVC-U and timber ranges for over five years. ‘The move to fabrication has been a natural progression following a steady and growing demand for aluminium products from a wide range of our customers.’ This comprehensive product offering enables the family run business to provide high quality solutions to a diversity of markets, from bespoke conservatories for the residential sector to major commercial refurbishments such as Kenton Court.

Tel: 01633 29 40 40
Web: http://www.beaufortsecure.co.uk

CGI's Pyroguard laminated fire glass has been specified for two new-build projects on behalf of the NHS in Nottingham. Clear and Stippolyte Pyroguard have been used for fire screens in both the Calton Health Clinic and the Clifton Medical Centre, which are part funded by LIFT (Local Improvement Finance Trust).

Glass specialist, Bromsgrove Glass and Windows (BGW), recommended Pyroguard as a safe and cost-effective solution for the projects. BGW conducted site surveys to assess precise requirements in accordance with fire safety regulations and its experienced glazing teams ensured installation was completed on time and to a high standard.

Approximately 160 sq m of Pyroguard was needed to glaze internal screens and fanlights for both new NHS buildings. The screens consist of hardwood frames with the fire glass secured using screwed hardwood beads and intumescent tape, which expands in the event of a fire to seal any gaps between glass and framing.

Depending on the location of the screens, either 7.2mm Pyroguard, with a 30-minute integrity rating, or the 60-minute rated 11.4mm option was used.
Pyroguard Clear was specified for most of the fire glazing on the first and second floors, with a Stippolyte obscure version for ground floor areas to ensure privacy in examination rooms. BGW was able to cut all the 7.2mm Pyroguard panels to size from stock. The higher specification 11.4mm fire glass was supplied by CGI in cut sizes.

CGI's successful Pyroguard range of laminated fire resistant safety glass offers a choice of integrity glasses that have the added benefit of radiation control. Its performance derives from a specially formulated resin interlayer, which provides a fire stop, sandwiched between layers of 3mm float glass. The range covers clear and wired products with 30- and 60-minute performance ratings. Pyroguard is also UV stable and has a high impact rating to class B.

Based in Worcestershire and established for nearly 25 years, BGW was one of the first appointed Pyroguard stockists. Graham Southall, Managing Director of BGW comments, ‘CGI's service is very good and the company always meets delivery deadlines, which is vital as we often have to work to tight schedules. CGI can also provide excellent technical advice and support if we need it.’

Tel: 020 7078 6660
Web: http://www.cgii.co.uk

A recent contract that illustrates the capacity Glass UK has to produce oversized glass has been recently completed at Tricorn House, a 10-storey office building on Birmingham's Hagley Road.

The project involved a major change-of-use and refurbishment carried out by London firm, TDA Interiors, to provide an enlarged reception area, staff restaurant facilities and mezzanine floor. This included the provision and installation of oversized glazing panels between the columns of what had been part of a car park beneath the building at ground floor level. In addition, the glazing extended to enclose the new entrance with revolving doors to the enlarged reception area.

For this, the company's plant at Iver in Bucks, was called upon to produce 50 toughened laminated glass panels, sized at 1.8m x 5.5m each. Total weight? An impressive 32,500kilos.

Glass UK worked with its sister company, Metal UK, which engineered the glazing support system to take account of the size of the panels and the potential wind loadings.

‘In reality, we were the only company in the country capable of handling the job,’ says Neil Sharda, Glass UK's production manager. ‘This is starting to become typical of the type of contract architects and other specifiers are asking us to handle.’

‘Of course, it's not just size that we have the capacity to produce, but we also have the ability to handle massive pieces safely and to deliver to site. This makes life so much easier for our clients knowing they only have to deal with one supplier.’

Tel: 01753 650332
Web: http://www.lmcgroup.co.uk

Technal Glazing Systems Specified for New Campus Development in Ireland

Technal, part of Hydro Building Systems, has supplied a range of architectural aluminium glazing systems for a new campus development, which occupies a parkland setting at the University of Limerick in Ireland.

Designed by Murray O'Laoire Architects, the Millstream Courtyard has already been shortlisted in the Irish Architecture Awards. With impressive views overlooking the River Shannon, the scheme comprises two new campus buildings - the Engineering Research Building and the Courtyard Building.

The three to four storey buildings feature Technal's grid curtain walling system to each elevation and the FXi65 top hung casement windows as punched hole openings and inserted into the curtain wall. The opening lights were finished in blue - a different colour to the curtain walling, which was supplied in grey.

‘The Technal systems met our specification criteria for factors such as wind loadings, thermal efficiency, weather resistance and design life’, said Seamus Hanrahan, Associate Director of Murray O'Laoire Architects. ‘All the glazing systems are performing well.’

The elevational treatment of the two buildings uses a palette of timber and zinc cladding and glazing as the primary materials, with brick also utilised on the research facility to complement other buildings on the campus. A three-storey colonnade links the research building to the Millstream Courtyard - a new urban space at the heart of the development.

The 3,900sqm Engineering Research Building comprises two parallel off-set blocks that are linked at first and second floor level. These blocks accommodate an undergraduate teaching area with a lecture theatre and seminar rooms, and a research area with four research centres.

All the systems for the Millstream project were fabricated and installed by Hodgins Architectural Façades.

Web: http://www.technal.co.uk

Synseal fabricator Classic Trade Frames recently helped Manchester's Pendlebury Hospital to solve the difficult problem of how to quickly and safely move two wards of very sick children away from danger in the event of fire.

Moving any bed-restricted patients can be dangerous, but when they are paediatric bone-marrow and high-dependency children who are extremely vulnerable to infection, the challenge is even greater. Classic Trade Frames, part of the Absolute Window Group, used Synseal's SynerJy and Global roof to provide the answer.

‘A U-shaped external SynerJy corridor now links the two wards together to ensure the children have a quick escape route which completely avoids the need to go outside.

The corridor is sealed off by two sets of fire doors providing a perfect safe haven. And the solution to the problem of the wards being situated on the first floor? The corridor simply sits on stilts,’ explains Tony Marsden, Managing Director of Classic.

‘It was certainly a challenge we hadn't faced before. The importance of keeping the children in a safe and sealed environment was everyone's top priority. The hospital was delighted with our solution.’

Tel: 01623 443 200
Web: http://www.synseal.com

When a crumbling 230-year-old building in the centre of Liverpool was renovated and turned into a smart new restaurant, fire resistant glass was needed for various parts of the project. Specific cut sizes were called for, and fire glass specialist CGI International with its high performance Pyroguard glass was recommended.

The restaurant, Heart & Soul, has been created within the Georgian building situated in Mount Pleasant by owner Chumki Banerjee. Fire resistant glass was specified at key points in the restaurant, which included screens to separate different areas and at the entrance. These were supplied by local firm M&R Joinery who contacted CGI as its regular glass specialist does not handle fire glass.

The glass, 7mm Pyroguard Clear, was cut to the required sizes by CGI. Pyroguard features a specially formulated resin interlayer which have been sandwiched between sheets of glass, providing an effective fire stop. While CGI says that it offers the widest range of fire glasses of any single manufacturer, its Pyroguard range of laminated fire resistant safety glass is undoubtedly the driving force of the business. This product line offers a choice of integrity glasses that have the added benefit of radiation control, and covers clear and wired products with 30 and 60 minutes performance ratings.

Neil Levenson, a partner at M&R Joinery, says that the company was delighted with the service and advice from CGI. ‘The company was a real help,’ says Neil. "CGI gave us loads of advice on how to bead the glass, and how to alter the frames slightly to take in the wider 7mm fire glass.’

Although most of CGI's business is in export markets, its factory is at Haydock, close to Liverpool, and Neil's father Rod was able to visit the factory to discuss the glass specification first hand. Rod says he was impressed by the CGI factory, not having realised before his visit what a large operation it was. M&R plans to use CGI products in the future when fire resistant glass is specified.

The Heart & Soul restaurant, which is described as having a wide-ranging and eclectic menu, is on two floors with the kitchen in the basement. The building, which is the oldest surviving dwelling house in Liverpool, was virtually derelict before it was redeveloped.

Tel: 020 7078 6660
Web: http://www.cgii.co.uk

Guests staying at the new Jury's Inn Hotel in Heathrow have a clearer view thanks to Ritec's ClearShield renovation and protection system. When there was a problem with the glass during the building's construction, the main contractor invited Ritec UK to demonstrate its ClearShield System. Impressed with the demonstration, the contractor ordered treatment for most of the building's glass, not just those stained during construction.

The construction phase of a building means, inevitably, raw glass surfaces are susceptible to damage caused by various construction materials, including cement dust, concrete splatter and water run-off carrying contaminants. Being located near Heathrow airport, the Jury's Inn had the added problem of air pollution caused by jet engine exhausts bonding onto the glass.

With construction nearing completion, it became apparent that the building's overall appearance was spoiled due to some of the glass being heavily stained. Conventional cleaning methods could not remove the problem so in order to satisfy its client, the contractor looked for a solution. Initially, specialist window cleaning companies were invited to remove the unsightly staining but when even they could not achieve the desired results, the contractor had to look elsewhere.

Ritec was contacted to provide an onsite demonstration of its ClearShield System to renovate a single pane of glass. The contractor was so impressed with the result of the demonstration that it decided to have most of the hotel's glass renovated and protected with ClearShield. Almost 400 windows covering seven storeys and an additional 200m2 of curtain walling were treated in total.

The ClearShield System has been developed for the conversion of high maintenance unprotected glass into Low-M (Low-Maintenance) Glass.

The first stage of the system involves renovating the glass using specialist products to its original new condition. The second stage is the application of the ClearShield liquid to provide protection from future staining. There are other benefits of ClearShield, including ease of cleaning, significant reduction in the frequency of cleaning to save on maintenance costs and the glass is kept looking like new for longer.

The versatility of ClearShield means that it can be applied either in the factory or onsite for glass already installed, as in this case. With over 20 years of field experience, ClearShield Low-M Glass is now used for all types of applications including commercial glazing, residential windows, conservatories, shower enclosures, decorative glass and glazing in marine vessels and transportation vehicles.

Tel: 020 8344 8210
Web: http://www.ritec.co.uk

Sheerframe approved fabricator MPH Windows has completed seven curtain walling contracts worth more than £150,000, refurbishing stairwells at Knowsley Housing Trust (KHT) properties.

The projects throughout the Knowsley Borough, which were awarded to Preston-based MPH via the pioneering North West housing association purchasing consortium Fusion 21, involved the replacement of dilapidated timber windows in the stairwells of several blocks of low-rise flats.

In addition to bringing important aesthetic and thermal benefits, the new curtain walling has enabled KHT to address ongoing security issues at the flats.

With their outdated hardware, the timber windows had made the curtain walling a particular weakness in terms of security and the blocks had become prone to frequent break-ins.

Using the Sheerframe curtain walling system from L.B. Plastics, MPH has immediately transformed the properties.

Combining a specially designed aluminium grid which takes both bending and sheer loads, with Sheerframe PVC windows and infill panels, the system offers a high degree of structural integrity and long term durability.

As with all Sheerframe windows, the completed curtain walling offers excellent thermal performance, eliminating draughts and condensation, and this is already helping residents in Knowsley to reduce their heating bills.

Enhanced security hardware fitted by MPH throughout has also played a significant role in reducing crime around the properties.

KHT manages approximately 15,000 homes throughout a large area of Merseyside, with a range of housing stock which includes houses, bungalows and sheltered housing schemes, as well as low-rise and multi-storey accommodation. A spokesperson for KHT says:

'We are committed to making a lasting and positive contribution towards the regeneration of Knowsley, working with a range of partners to deliver this.

'As part of Fusion 21, we are able to ensure the quality of the work delivered by our partners is of the highest standard and we are extremely pleased with the way MPH has refurbished these properties.'

MPH Windows employs 140 people at its Lostock Hall factory near Preston and manufactures over 1,000 Sheerframe windows and doors every week, as well as a growing number of conservatories for the retail and newbuild sectors.

Further information about the company can be found at http://www.mphwindows.co.uk.

For further information about the Sheerframe system, contact L.B. Plastics on 01773 852311 or visit http://www.sheerframe.co.uk