A pop song plays on the radio: "The heat is on. The heat is on. Oh-wo-ho, oh-wo-ho... (The thing is burning. The thing is burning. [...])". And, really, on the street the sun is scorching. But here, at the entrance of the Hans Börner company, the temperature is pleasant. "This was not always the case," explains Armin W. Schulze, Purchasing Manager at Hans Börner GmbH & Co.KG. This company is one of the largest German manufacturers of PLEXIGLAS® skylights. "When the skylights in our office were made of conventional acrylic, during the days when the sun was shining here you could hardly withstand the heat," Schulze recalls. For this reason, this year the 15 skylights of the building have been replaced by others manufactured in PLEXIGLAS HEATSTOP®. This special material reflects the heat of the sun, considerably reducing thermal radiation. "The receptionists are the ones who have been most grateful for the change. Despite the air conditioning, the large skylights in the lobby transmitted too much heat," explains Schulze.
The renovation of the skylights is not only advantageous for employees, but also the company itself has managed to save electricity costs generated by air conditioning. "Before, the air conditioner often ran at full power and still wasn't enough on particularly hot days. Now, thanks to PLEXIGLAS HEATSTOP®, our need for air conditioning has been considerably reduced, which is also reflected in the electricity bill," explains Schulze. This aspect will be even more important in the future. And, according to the results of numerous studies, energy prices will continue to rise. "Our past experiences with PLEXIGLAS HEATSTOP® have been positive. For some years we have had in our office a barrel vault made of this material, and we are very satisfied with it. Due to the increase in electricity prices, we also found it appropriate to change the skylights," explains Schulze. Another advantage: since PLEXIGLAS HEATSTOP® scatters light very well, our offices do not require additional artificial light, which allows us to dispense with the heat source of artificial light and, consequently, the corresponding electricity consumption. In this way, effective heat protection reduces costs in the long run. At the same time, lower energy consumption reduces CO2 emissions: an important contribution to environmental protection that also benefits the company.
PLEXIGLAS HEATSTOP® reflects 68% of solar energy. Faced with this effective infrared reflection, conventional acrylic glass only reaches a degree of reflection of 36%. Compared to conventional skylights, rooms in which PLEXIGLAS HEATSTOP® is applied are heated by about 50% less, according to research conducted by the Department of Lighting Technology and Construction Technology of the Fachhochschule Köln (Higher Polytechnic School of Cologne).
PLEXIGLAS HEATSTOP® can be incorporated without great effort not only in new buildings, but also in existing ones. A factor that is also taken into account by private customers, to whom the company Hans Börner has already sold approximately 500 PLEXIGLAS HEATSTOP® skylights. "Customers who change the colourless double-deck skylights made of conventional acrylic on their roofs for milky-opal and triple-deckled PLEXIGLAS HEATSTOP® are particularly impressed. The difference in ambient temperature is really immense," explains Schulze. Hans Börner specialists manufacture the new skylights perfectly adapted to any construction solution. To do this, the straight PLEXIGLAS® plates are thermoformed. "We heat the plates until they have acquired a consistency similar to that of a wet towel," explains Schulze. Then the contour of the outer frame is defined, which varies from circular to oval and polygonal. Finally, the high point is defined, also called an arrow or zenith. The plate in the soft state is then blown with compressed air until the desired shape is obtained. The holes intended for screwing are drilled in such a way that they adapt to the existing fixing frame.
According to Schulze, in the industrial sector PLEXIGLAS HEATSTOP® is mainly demanded in industrial and assembly buildings. But it is also an interesting solution for office buildings. Schulze has an increase in future demand for PLEXIGLAS HEATSTOP® in offices due to the increase in energy prices and the Energiepass or energy passport (certificate documenting the energy consumption of the building) planned in Germany for buildings. "Energy saving is becoming increasingly important. For this reason, architects will have to give even more value to the issue of energy efficiency in buildings. If an architect approaches us already during the planning phase of a work, when adapting the concept of heat protection he will save a lot of money, since this allows us to recommend the most profitable standardized measures in each case, "explains Schulze. Schulze also expects an increase in market demand from private customers as soon as the energy passport becomes mandatory as planned by the EU: "When a new directive on thermal insulation of roofs came into force a couple of years ago, the purchase figures for skylights of three and four roofs suddenly increased. What happened then in the field of thermal insulation could be repeated with the issue of heat protection," predicts Schulze.
