Alternative materials to replace glass in building curtain wall facades

In the buildings curtain wall overview the glass has always been the material emblem of transparency and ‘apparent’ lightness, so much so it is, at present, the most commonly used material in this field. However, some of its physical properties (density, thermal transmittance) are considered a limit and induce to explore other sector and other materials capable of providing high performance levels (with the glass achieved only by coating and material combinations) and of limiting the glare and overheating phenomenon caused by glass reflection. These materials have long been present on the architectural scene but so far they have been used in building envelope systems mainly as a second skin. An annual applied EFS funded research has investigated the real feasibility of the application of transparent or translucent polymeric material sheets, focusing the attention onto the most stringent performance needed in tall building envelopes and leveraging Permasteelisa expertise in the design, production, installation phases of a curtain wall unit system. The results of the research, although positive from thermal, structural, acoustic, aging over time point of view, are moved by the evaluations in terms of price and Life Cycle Assessment.