36
MAY 2015 PRO INSTALLER
PRO NEWS
www.proinstaller.co.uk
Out of this World
The fenestration industry is renowned for developing
new technology and products, but this latest invention
from Optiplas Limited is proving to be out of this world.
The Optiplas panel has
been developed and
patent applied for, to
allow glass workshops
to produce glazed
conservatory roofs and
door panels, which offer a U-value of 0.2W/
m2k. Formed by being
vacuumed into a solid
square structure, the
materials were original
developed to be used
in space age technology and contain unique
properties which
drastically reduce the
amount of heat transfer
co-efficient.
Optiplas has created a
unique way of encapsulating the panel into a glass
unit of any size or shape.
The panels can be used
in conservatory roofs and
also in doors to provide a
higher performance better
than that of any other glass
or composite panel on the
market.
Nigel Robinson, Optiplas
director, commented: “The
technology used to produce the panel is not new,
but the process of how the
technology is used to create
the encapsulation and production of the panel within
a sealed glass unit is a concept which no-one has ever
used before and this is what
makes the manufacture of
the Optiplas panel unique.
“The benefits to the consumer are evident, with the
sealed glass unit’s performance providing an overall
U-value of 0.2W/m2K, when
standard units achieve
2.9W/m2k. This is going to
provide greater heat loss/
retention for the homeowner. The conservatory roof
system will provide around
90% coverage of a roof
with a U value at 0.14W/
m2K.”Nigel adds.
The unique design of the
glass panels is not the only
advantage when installing
an Optiplas panel; when
fitted in a conservatory, the
units imitate the appearance
of a solid roof structure,
without the weight load.
Nigel explains: “The
benefits to an installer
fitting a conservatory roof
using Optiplas units mean
they are able to offer the
homeowner a roof which
appears to be solid, without
the heaviness of fitting it
and one that they are able
to fit in one day rather one
week. A conservatory roof
fitted with Optiplas glass
units can weigh up to 60%
lighter than if fitted with
any solid roof structure
currently available in the
market.”
“The glass units are internally painted to any RAL
colour that the homeowner chooses, which on the
inside of the conservatory
reproduces the appearance
of a solid roof, and from the
outside still retains its glass
appearance, reflecting the
sky above.” Nigel comments.
The Optiplas panels have
undergone rigorous testing,
to ensure their performance
and outperforms other glass
units to give a life expectance of 30 year plus.
Intellectual propert y has
been applied for in multiple countries across the
world for the encapsulation
design of the glass units and
Optiplas Limited is planning to develop a core of
insulating glass manufacturers, throughout the UK and
Ireland, to licence and manufacture this distinctive style
and design of producing an
insulated glass unit.
Nigel adds: “With the government pushing further for
more eco-friendly products
to be included into new
and existing construction
projects, we believe producing an insulated sealed glass
unit using Optiplas panels
can give manufacturers a
massive advantage over
other IG producers.”
“Being able to produce
a glass unit of a U-value
of 0.2W/m2K is a massive
step forward as far as we
are concerned. We intend to
limit the amount of licences
we offer to able manufacturers and installers the opportunity to gain a bstrong
foothold in the market place
and profit from recommended margins.”
The Optiplas glass unit
panel has currently being
fitted to a number of installations in South Yorkshire,
by Barnsley based manufacturer, JSS Installations.
JSS Installations is the
first to manufacture this
elite new unit and Jason
Smith, managing director
comments: “We have been
working with Nigel on the
Optiplas project over the
last two years to develop
and produce the glass units
and have been able to sell
the product into a number
of conservatory installations.
Firstly, because of the appearance of having a solid
roof and secondly, because
of the overall U-value benefit the units offer a homeowner.”
For further information
regarding licensing
Optiplas, call 01226
341234