ALUMINIUM
Seafront Splendour
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THE LARGEST SINGLE OFFICE development in the Channel Islands utilises multiple aluminium glazing systems from leading provider Reynaers .
Extending to over 200,000 sq ft , Jersey Esplanade contains large , open plan office spaces across six storeys which surround a central atrium and circulation core . Maximising the coastal location , this allows breath-taking panoramic views of St Aubins Bay and creates a striking new gateway to St Helier .
The BREEAM-rated building combines modulated stone cladding with expansive areas of Reynaers aluminium curtain walling and is occupied by blue-chip brands such as Royal Bank of Canada , Deloitte and C5 Alliance .
Architects at Axis Mason have created a modern , innovative co-working space that facilitates collaboration with its open layout . The project is otherwise known as Gaspé House , a name selected to mark cultural links between Jersey and Canada and remember the Jersey fishermen who settled in Gaspé , Quebec , many years ago .
Transforming the Jersey seafront with a touch of splendour , the Reynaers systems utilised include CW 86 and CW 50 curtain walling , as well as CS 68 and CS 77 aluminium windows and doors .
Dave Rees , Consult Project Manager at Reynaers , said : “ The conditions of the building location on this development proved a challenge . With seafront projects , timing is everything . Unitised facades therefore provided the perfect solution for Jersey Esplanade due to their speed of build and increased fabricator efficiency , with no compromise on performance or aesthetic quality ”.
With high execution speed and available in two glazing variants , elements of curtain walling system CW 86 can be pre-assembled in the workshop to decrease time on the building site . Cassettes can then be hooked onto a traditional stick structure or the façade can be built up element by element according to the modular curtain wall principle .
Rebecca Cope , Marketing Manager at Reynaers , said : “ Reynaers prides itself on developing , where required , bespoke solutions to meet all glazing requirements . For Jersey Esplanade , efficient CW 86 unitised facades and CW 50 curtain walling gave the architects design freedom to accommodate large glazed areas , as well as meeting their time constraints .
“ The project also spectacularly showcases our CS 68 and CS 77 aluminium windows and doors , helping the build to achieve its BREEAM status with their excellent performance credentials and sustainability benefits .”
GLASS & SEALEDUNITS
TESTS CONFIRM HIGH RELIABILITY
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WITHIN THE SCOPE OF the ‘ TPedge ’ project , Bystronic glass has cooperated with scientists from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ( Fraunhofer ISE ) in Freiburg regarding the development of a process for the industrial production of innovative PV modules .
Numerous prototypes of the TPedge modules have now been subjected to comprehensive tests , which confirm the high reliability of the module concept .
The Fraunhofer ISE mounted 70 TPedge modules on the façade of a laboratory building and subsequently put these to successful use for over three years .
The modules were produced using Bystronic glass machines and systems .
TPedge modules are edge sealed , double glass PV modules that have a great similarity to insulating glass windows . The solar cells are fixed in gas-filled spaces using adhesive pins between the glass panes . TPedge eliminates the need for traditional encapsulation foils and the module frames so that both material costs and time consuming lamination processes are removed .
“ We have successfully taken the leap from a laboratory prototype to the standard industrial size ( with 60 solar cells ),” said Max Mittag , Project Manager at the Fraunhofer ISE and Tobias Neff , Solar Product Manager at Bystronic glass , explained that “ With the TPedge technology , the costs for the module production can be lowered considerably – with an envisaged cycle time of 45 seconds per module line .”
The Fraunhofer ISE was able to take automated production systems for TPedge modules into operation in its ‘ Module Technology Center ’ and use them to manufacture various prototypes in different setups . The industrial manufacturing processes have been developed further and optimized . The weight of the TPedge modules have been reduced by 30 percent by utilising 2 mm thin glass . The prototypes that were manufactured together with Bystronic glass were subjected to comprehensive module tests in accordance with IEC 61730 / 61215 .
The results confirm the high resistance and the technical maturity of the module concept . Many different TPedge design setups were tested , using the conventional glass-foil-laminate and glass-glass-laminate modules as a reference . The resistance to hail and surface load were also tested .
76 » MAR 2017 » CLEARVIEW-UK . COM