EENSULATE

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.