Nearly 40 percent of global carbon emissions are the result of energy consumption by buildings. This, combined with tightening regulations and greater public awareness, is creating a demand for technologies that will one day make near-zero-energy high-performance buildings the norm.
A global leader in the development of silicone materials for the high-performance building industry, Dow Corning is helping lay the groundwork for near-zero architecture with enabling technologies designed to improve the sustainability, energy efficiency and durability of new and retrofit buildings.
Technologies on Display at AIA
The company is showcasing a collection of these technologies at the 2013 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Convention, June 20 through 22 in Denver, Colorado, at the Colorado Convention Center, Expo Booth 1650.
The collection features robust silicone solutions designed not only to improve the energy efficiency of buildings but also to give architects and building system designers greater design freedom. These include:
- The Dow Corning® Silicone Air Barrier System – A complete air and weather barrier solution that provides airtight moisture control for more energy-efficient building envelope designs
- Dow Corning® Architectural Insulation Modules – A design-enabling high-performance insulation solution for next-generation curtainwalls
- Dow Corning® Building Insulation Blanket – A thin, environmentally safe insulating material that offers freedom of design coupled with improved energy efficiency
The Dow Corning Silicone Air Barrier System is a suite of fully compatible high-performance silicone technologies from Dow Corning designed to work in concert to help protect the entire building envelope.
"We created the Dow Corning Silicone Air Barrier System to overcome the shortcomings of other air barrier systems on the market today – systems that were unsatisfactory in terms of fire rating, airtightness or UV resistance; systems that required too many installation steps, were incompatible with other building envelope components or lacked technical support," said Dow Corning High Performance Building Marketing Manager Andy Shives.
"This is what design professionals and our customers have been asking us for: a complete air- and moisture-control solution based on proven silicone technologies from a single supplier – all backed by a system warranty from Dow Corning," Shives said.
The Dow Corning Silicone Air Barrier System includes:
- Dow Corning® DefendAir 200 – A 100 percent silicone liquid-applied air and weather barrier that cures to form a seamless, flexible membrane, Dow Corning DefendAir 200 is vapor-permeable and exceeds industry requirements for airtight performance, is able to withstand unlimited UV exposure and has an NFPA Class A fire rating. It provides fast, easy and effective protection from air infiltration and water penetration, which helps reduce energy consumption. Additionally, the formulation is solventless and low-VOC to help users meet increasingly stringent environmental codes.
- Dow Corning® Silicone Transition System – Featuring high-performance precured 100 percent silicone rubber strips and corners that are easy to install using Dow Corning® brand silicone sealants (rather than mechanical fasteners), this system forms a continuous airtight transition from the window to the wall.
- Dow Corning® 758 Silicone Weather Barrier Sealant – Sticking to the most demanding substrates without need for a primer, Dow Corning 758 Silicone Weather Barrier Sealant overcomes the adhesion challenges posed by plastic- and polyolefin-based window flashing and fenestration materials.
Dow Corning Architectural Insulation Modules, another Dow Corning innovation designed to help meet near-zero-energy building requirements, combines the aesthetics and convenience of curtainwall construction with the energy-savings benefits of Dow Corning® Vacuum Insulation Panel. Dow Corning Architectural Insulation Modules are high-performance, thin-profile materials that can significantly increase thermal resistance in space-limited situations and enable slim wall constructions with high R-value performance. Available in a variety of architectural finishes, these modules give architects new design possibilities and the flexibility to better balance needs for thermal performance and visual aesthetics.
Dow Corning Building Insulation Blanket offers many of the same advantages as Dow Corning Architectural Insulation Modules, but in a thin, flexible form that is easy to install in difficult profiles such as curves and corners. This makes it an ideal solution for sealing challenging connection points in building envelopes, such as where glazing systems meet cavity walls, where above-grade and below-grade systems meet, and where parapets meet roofs.
Solutions Based on Proven Technology
"Architects and building component designers need innovative new materials to help them achieve their near-zero-energy building goals. But they also need the assurance that those materials are based on proven technology," said Joy Govitz, Dow Corning's global strategic marketing leader for High Performance Building. "Dow Corning is capitalizing on its 70 years of silicon-based technology expertise to provide those solutions."
Information about Dow Corning's full range of silicon-based materials for high-performance building is available at dowcorning.com/construction.
Source: http://www.dowcorning.com/