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In the building and construction industry, there is a demand for greater energy efficiency. Over the years, operational energy demand for heating, cooling and equipment in buildings has been causing high levels of carbon dioxide emissions, which has led the European Union to take strict measures to increase the energy efficiency of buildings. In order to succeed in this, the building and construction sector must be proactive and find new, innovative material solutions.
Quartzene can provide energy efficiency as well as other improved material properties that the industry calls for: thermal insulation, low density, and increased safety. Due to the material’s flexibility, it can be used in a variety of applications in the building and construction sector.
Cool roof paints can be applied on roofs to reflect sunrays and reduce the heat absorbed by the building. In warm countries, this can reduce energy use due to reduced space conditioning, which in turn lowers the energy costs. Cool roof paints contribute to healthier indoor environments for people, animals, and food.
As Quartzene has excellent insulating properties and a high SRI (solar reflectance index), the material is a crucial additive in cool roof applications. Testing has shown that when Quartzene is added to the cool roof coating and wall plaster of a house in a warm climate, there are significant energy savings. Owing to reduced energy use, the building’s energy costs are lowered, and less carbon dioxide is produced. In recent years, Svenska Aerogel has seen an increasing demand for Quartzene in cool roof solutions.
Heat-insulating products are used to keep buildings cool during the summer months and warm during the winter. In the case of cool roof solutions, the coatings are applied to walls and roofs, but insulating coatings can also be applied to floors, steam pipes, and steel structures. This increases the buildings’ energy efficiency by reducing the need for heating and cooling systems. In an insulation solution with Quartzene, less material is needed compared with traditional insulation and thus the space requirement is decreased. Examples of other types of insulating materials include PIR foam panels. PIR panels containing Quartzene have a low thermal conductivity and improve fire protection in buildings.
The need for alternative fire resistance solutions and protection of property is increasing in the building and construction sector today. Quartzene works as an effective and environmentally sound additive for adequate fire protection. For example, it can be used in silicate paints to further increase the fire resistance performance in terms of longer time to ignition (TTI) and lower heat release rate (HRR). Alkali silicate coatings containing Quartzene meet the highest possible fire protection class for wood, Euroclass B, with the test result B-s1, d0.
Contact us or one of our distributors for assistance in finding the right product for you.