Aug 15 2008
Saflex® has introduced a new configuration of high-performance interlayer that meets Level E, the recommended glazing standard for essential facilities, in a single lite of laminated glazing. The new solution eliminates the need to use an insulated glazing system, making hurricane protection much more affordable.
The Saflex Level E hurricane product uses a combination of Saflex’s toughest interlayers, laminated between two pieces of glass under heat and pressure. The resulting piece of glass looks and functions like a single piece of ordinary glass but is stronger and tougher than even 90 gauge laminated glass. It’s a durable and cost-effective solution for architects and building owners who need buildings to function during and immediately after powerful storms.
Experience has shown that evacuation is not always possible when hurricanes loom. With thousands of people potentially in the path of a storm, it becomes especially critical for certain facilities to be able to withstand the weather. Before, during and after a hurricane, essential facilities such as storm shelters, hospitals, police stations and fire houses must be able to function in order to protect the people they serve.
“While most hurricane-related building codes are designed to protect homes and businesses during a hurricane, experts still advise people to evacuate,” says Julia Schimmelpenningh, Architectural Applications Manager for Saflex. “A tough building standard known as ASTM E 1996 Level E was designed to protect buildings and the people inside when evacuation is not an option. However, until now, there were few solutions available for achieving Level E. Those that were available were so costly that they were often value-engineered out of plans.”
Testing shows that glass made with the new Saflex solution passes Level E impact tests, which call for the glazing to resist a 9-pound 2x4 fired at 80 feet per second. Although the glass may crack, it clings to the interlayer and prevents debris, wind, water and pressure from entering and destroying the structure. (For comparison, standard large missile – Level D – tests require a material to resist a 9-pound 2x4 fired at 50 feet per second.)
Until recently, meeting Level E meant choosing from less-than-desirable options: polycarbonate, double laminated insulating units or just going without window openings. Although polycarbonates have been used when necessary, there have been significant concerns about the durability of the product over time. Double laminated insulating configurations can more than double the cost of a standard laminated glass solution and require custom framing systems to support the weight and thickness of two lites of laminated glass. And of course, windowless bunkers are far from a design ideal.
“The Saflex solution for Level E protection allows architects and owners to include beautiful windows throughout a structure while maintaining its safety and controlling costs,” says Doug Marren, Americas Market Manager, for Saflex.
Although ASTM E 1996 created the Level E test standard for essential facilities, meeting that standard is not currently mandatory anywhere in the United States. However, the hurricanes of 2004 sparked a renewed interest in designing beyond code for certain essential facilities in the coastal United States and the Caribbean.
Today, many projects in coastal regions have designed for or are considering Level E protection. The test standard is gaining supporters in municipal governments across Florida and the Caribbean and has even been used by private hospitals that are seeking to provide patients with consistent, continued care, no matter what the weather. Non-essential businesses such as banks, corporate headquarters and data facilities have also shown an elevated interest in designing beyond the code. The Saflex Level E hurricane solution makes this option easier and more cost effective.
For more information on glazing, click here.