Safe Building Trend Benefits from Silicone Sealants
Date: April 13, 2009
MIDLAND, MICHIGAN, USA: Modern architecture is often recognized for being innovative and inspirational, but buildings are increasingly being designed to protect their inhabitants from harm as well as be beautiful. Whatever the source of the threat, building façades and windows strengthened by silicone sealants help deliver enhanced safety and protection as a building's first line of defense.
"Silicone technology has enabled the marriage of superior design and long-term building protection," said Mike Blaszkowski, Dow Corning Construction Market Manager. "Architects are now able to create unique building designs using incredibly diverse materials that meet safety standards and showcase aesthetic appeal."
First developed in the late 1970s, structural glazing technology has since emerged as a material of choice for the construction industry, providing superior adhesion, building protection and insulation properties. Impact-resistant glass is just one development of the structural glazing revolution. Using silicone sealants, impact-resistant glass is manufactured to securely hold glass in window frames under the most extreme pressures and wind speeds. These silicone products help enhance the safety of building occupants during a crisis situation.
This development transformed the façade market and sparked a number of new innovating designs, particularly in storm-prone regions where materials such as glass and metal were previously unable to handle violent storms.
"Today, as reports of natural catastrophes increase in number and severity around the world, silicone sealants continue to demonstrate strength and resilience, minimizing structural damage and water infiltration from the environmental pressures of earthquakes, hurricanes and tornadoes," said Blaszkowski.
At the core of silicone strength is a unique structure comprised of organic and inorganic polymers that can resist environmental forces such as rain, wind, pollutants and UV rays. Exceptional adhesion properties also allow silicone sealants to bond with a number of materials such as concrete, glass, granite, marble, aluminum, steel and plastics, and remain flexible over a wide range of temperatures.
Examples of structural glazing technology can be found around the world, including:
o Westin Diplomat Hotel - Silicone sealants deliver structural integrity for nearly 250,000 square feet of the 1,000-room facility located in a hurricane-prone region of Hollywood, Florida. The building met requirements of the South Florida Building Code which contains the toughest wind and impact resistant standards in the nation.
o Bon Secours Saint Joseph Hospital - Laminated windows in place at this care facility in Charlotte, Florida survived Hurricane Charley in 2004, which boasted winds of up to 150 mph at its peak intensity. Only one pane of laminated glass was broken at the hospital, while buildings in the immediate vicinity experienced massive damage.
o Jade Ocean - The first condominium building constructed with an impact-resistant glass curtain wall, this project in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, features Dow Corning structural glazing and weathersealing silicones. The 50-story luxury residential tower is located on a hurricane-prone coastline and is expected to be completed in early 2009.
About Dow Corning
Dow Corning www.dowcorning.com provides performance-enhancing solutions to serve the diverse needs of more than 25,000 customers worldwide. A global leader in silicones, silicon-based technology and innovation, Dow Corning offers more than 7,000 products and services via the company's Dow Corning® and XIAMETER® brands. Dow Corning is a joint venture equally owned by The Dow Chemical Company and Corning, Incorporated. More than half of Dow Corning's annual sales are outside the United States.
About Dow Corning Construction
For more than 60 years, architects, building consultants, contractors and construction material providers around the world have turned to Dow Corning for its expertise and its silicon-based, performance-enhancing materials and additives for glazing, sealing and weatherproofing new and existing construction projects. For more information about Dow Corning's complete line of products for the construction industry, contact www.dowcorning.com/construction/.
Contact:
Jennifer Wong
202.778.2008
jwong@apcoworldwide.com
