High end material for modern buildings

EENSULATE

Development of innovative lightweight and highly insulating energy efficient components and associated enabling materials for cost-effective retrofitting and new construction of curtain wall facades.

The European Commission has identified building sector as one of the key sectors to achieve 2020 strategy of the EU. The goal of the 2020 strategy is to create conditions for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. In regards to the building sector, the emphasis has been placed on two key principles – the principle of ‘nearly zero-energy building’ and the principle of ‘cost optimality’. Moreover, European legislators decided that by 31 December 2020, member states must ensure that all new buildings are nearly zero-energy buildings and by 31 December 2018, all new buildings occupied and owned by public authorities must be nearly zero-energy buildings. The developers, bearing in mind these regulations, realized that the building industry in general, and insulation sector in particular, need a game changer.


Curtain walls, i.e. facade modules, which span from floor to ceiling consisting mainly of transparent glass-walled component, have been an integral part of commercial and public building for over a century. Today curtain walls are associated with modern architecture and their popularity is exponentially increasing. However, curtain walls are often criticized for their limited insulation characteristics. Furthermore, existing buildings, including historical ones, are responsible for up to 60% of energy losses through the envelope..

For this reason, the developers of EENSULATE technology came up with a product, which reduces unwanted energy losses and is suitable for both new and existing buildings.


The goal of the project is to develop an affordable advanced architectural glass to address thermal and acoustic insulation - minimize thermal bridges between curtain walls and sub-structures, have cost-effective control of solar radiation and approach to insulate the spandrel, allow for an easy implementation on site by reducing the weight of the curtain wall.

The design of the EENSULATE solutions for retrofitting scenarios demonstrates the wide applicability of EENSULATE components in different types of buildings with various objectives of retrofitting. Application guidelines are defined supporting the retrofitting market with EENSULATE components:


Retrofitting of Curtain Wall Façade:
  • Façade replacement – the EENSULATE module is applicable for the replacement of existing Curtain Wall Façades – The School building. The EENSULATE module is a lightweight solution which does not add weight on the load bearing structure of the building and is able to increase energy performance. The profile color of the EENSULATE module can be customized to meet specific architectural needs.
  • Existing glass replacement – the EENSULATE VIG is applicable for the replacement of other glazed elements in Curtain Wall Façade – Focchi Headquarters. The adoption of the EENSULATE VIG is possible with minor changes in Curtain Wall system and with the adoption of a curved profile to mitigate thermal bridging. Moving from Triple-glazed Units and Vacuum Insulated Glass (VIG) – and vice-versa (the School replacement strategy) proves easy application of EENSULATE VIG.
Retrofitting of Windows
  • Historical window – the EENSULATE VIG is applicable for the replacement of the historical glass with an improvement in energy performance without affecting the overall configuration of the windows
  • Contemporary window – the EENSULATE VIG is applicable for the replacement of Double-glazed Units / Triple-glazed Units in existing windows with the improvement of energy transmittance without affecting the overall configuration of the window.


EENSULATE HIGHLIGHTS

Technology

EENSULATE project aims to develop innovative lightweight (35% weight reduction compared to the current best performing modules).

Approach

Due to the variable ratio between the spandrel and vision glass, Eensulate will match any existing façade design (where there are no constraints on original architecture) as well as new buildings.

Targets & Objectives

Characterize and understand how the Eensulate Basic and Premium components work in real conditions considering the dynamic and thermos-tuneable characteristics.

Demo versions

The performances of the Eensulate insulating solution will be assessed at full scale prototype.

News

08.07.2021 |EENSULATE - Final newsletter!

EENSULATE project has finished and we are excited to share our Final Newsletter!

01.07.2021 |EENSULATE - Final review meeting 2nd day

The second day of our final review meeting has ended!
A big thank you belongs to all our partners for the hard work.

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