There are many innovative ways of conserving energy in a building. FM Magazine interrogates K.T. Govindarajan, general manager at V-Kool Emirates, over claims his company is making about the patented IQue flat glass film system
There are many innovative ways of conserving energy in a building. FM Magazine interrogates K.T. Govindarajan, general manager at V-Kool Emirates, over claims his company is making about the patented IQue flat glass film system.
When it comes to stunning buildings, the GCC is not short of examples.
Vertical columns and glass and aluminium are sprouting up relentlessly to the tune of more than $300 billion in construction investment.
The external appearance of a building has typically been the most important factor in a client brief. But attention is now being pad to operational functionality – bringing a keener sense of understanding of managing energy consumption whilst optimising interior working environments.
Keeping in mind the market scenario, flat glass window films with heat reflection capabilities are an unique solution to Summer conditions. Although there are many flat film brands available in the market, few posess the technology to blok heat.
IQue offers an extensvie range of applied films for the architectural market. Clear film is capable of blocking over half of the sun’s heat without changing the appearance of existing glass – and thus ensures facilities retain their aesthetic appeal.
Look down the Manhattanesque Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, for example, and you will find a glittering array of fantastic façades. But the comfort of the occupants inside can vary tremendously.
A facade must reach a critical balance between aesthetics, user comfort, energy efficiency and affordable maintenance – criteria that may often conflict with one another, with comfort invariably losing out to aesthetic and architectural appeal.
Although a 100 percent glass façade is great for bringing natural light into a building, it requires a particularly efficient solar control system to reduce energy bills caused by overheating and to reduce glare.
What is IQue?
A significant advancemenet in surface and particle science led to the development of specially selective films. Perfecting the multi-layer dialectic stach (approximately 180 nanometres thick), the film is able to selectively filter out unwanted and harmful infrared and ultraviolet rays, whilst allowing useful visible light througth. This revolutionary technology has won the product many accolates including Popular Science Magazine’s “Top 100 Inventions of the Millennium”.
IQue has launched a (Generation II?) second generation film which is the world’s first 10-layer sputtered (?) film. Following over a decade of extensive research and field experiements resulted in the birt of this technological brilliance which can reject 60 percent of solar energy and acheive a solar heat gain coefficient (SHGG) of 0.4 whilst allowing 58 percent of daylight to be transmitted through glass windows.
When sunlight enters buildings it also plays a pivotal role in fading expensive furnishings prematurely. Previously there were only two methods which provided protectiona gainst solar heat gain (radiation?) – (you cold either block?) barrier protection using a reflective coating or introducing a less effective dyed film to absorb the heat / solar energy?
Today, films are embedded within multiple layers of metallic coatings. These are thinner than a single strand of hair and manufactured from the highest available grade of optically clear / transparent? – word for allowing light through, polyester film.
Whenh applied to windows, these high-tech films screen out over 96 percent of infrared rays, primarily responsible for heat build-up, while transmitting over 70 percent of visible light. By way of comparison, heavy silver window films allow just 15 -2- percent ofl ight to enter and thereby increase your interior lighting cost.
Energy conservation – check heading
The property boom in the region has seen development expand at unprecedented rates, with air-conditioning related energy bills rising.
IQue reduces the air-conditioning load by blocking infrared radiation which is the primary reason for heat build-up. It ret9c infrared rays and over 60 percent of of solar heat from enterign the hosue. This reduces load on air-conditioning systems which translates into significant savings.
The film also transmits 50 percent of visible light which means daylight can be harvested significantly, reducing artifical lighting requriements in the building.
Fade control
Ultraviolet radiation from the sun is the primary reason for untimely fading of interiors. The films ar manufactured with robust UV inhibitors, designed to segnificantly reduce “sun-bleaching” of upholstery, curtains and your faviourite leather sofa.
By absorbing 99 percent of harmful ultraviolet rays, and with a sun protection factor (SPF) of over 200, they offer property owners a simple solution against sun damage.
What’s more, it is ideal for new construction and can be retrofitted right over existing glass with minimal distruption and inconvenience.
——box—– p. 46
Features and Benefits
Reduce solar heatgain by 50%
Clear and colourless – therefore does not hamper the aesthetic appearance of buildings
Reduces liability and risk of injury
Provides additional resistance against “smash-and-grab” theft
Bomb blast protection – mitigates effects of glass fragmentation
Scratch resistance
Compliant with ASTM D1044 (abrasion test) – manufactured from a specially formulated hcoating which is scratch resistant
Easy maintenance of windows without special requriements
Rapid, solvent-free installation
Minimal workplace disiruption
NB incorporate image of window on p. 46 into the coloured box
