flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

GREENBUILD 2011: Transparent concrete makes its North American debut at Greenbuild

GREENBUILD 2011: Transparent concrete makes its North American debut at Greenbuild


By By BD+C Staff | October 7, 2011
Precast, transparent concrete panels can brighten any room and allow people to see images and objects behind them.

What if cement could light up a room? i.light precast, transparent concrete panels can brighten any room and allow people to see images and objects behind them.

Making its North American debut at Greenbuild, two i.light precast concrete walls, manufactured by ESSROC Italcementi Group, showcased the innovation of cement and the endless possibilities for interior and exterior applications by builders, designers and architects.

The transparency in cement is achieved via an innovative technology developed by Italcementi Group’s R&D department, in which a new dry ready-mixed product that allows bonding a light-transmitting plastic resin matrix is used. This allows the manufacturing of solid insulated concrete construction panels, which transmit light, both natural and artificial. The panels are guaranteed to last as long as a panel made from traditional cement material.

The result of the transparent panels is simply brilliant as they create a sequence of lights and shadows in constant evolution throughout the day. The transparent effect is more evident when it is dark and seen from the outside. The panels allow interior lights to filter through, from inside. During the day, exterior light filters in, showing the changes in the levels of daylight. The capability to transmit light can also make it possible to use less electricity, potentially contributing to energy savings. BD+C

Related Stories

| Jul 18, 2013

Top Federal Government Sector Architecture Firms [2013 Giants 300 Report]

HOK, SmithGroupJJR, PageSoutherlandPage top Building Design+Construction's 2013 ranking of the largest federal government sector architecture and architecture/engineering firms in the U.S.

| Jul 18, 2013

Top Government Sector Construction Firms [2013 Giants 300 Report]

Clark Group, Turner, PCL head Building Design+Construction's 2013 ranking of the largest government sector contractors and construction management firms in the U.S.

| Jul 18, 2013

Top Government Sector Engineering Firms [2013 Giants 300 Report]

Fluor, URS, AECOM top Building Design+Construction's 2013 ranking of the largest government sector engineering and engineering/architecture firms in the U.S.

| Jul 18, 2013

Top Government Sector Architecture Firms [2013 Giants 300 Report]

Stantec, HOK, HDR top Building Design+Construction's 2013 ranking of the largest government sector architecture and architecture/engineering firms in the U.S.

| Jul 18, 2013

Do third-corridor designs actually work for healthcare environments?

A recent study of a nursing unit assessed whether the space's third corridor does what it was intended to do: reduce noise and distraction to patients and nursing staff. 

| Jul 18, 2013

LEGO takes on the iconic Sydney Opera House

This September, LEGO will expand its LEGO Creator Expert series with a 2,989-brick model of the iconic Sydney Opera House.

| Jul 17, 2013

Top Multifamily Construction Firms [2013 Giants 300 Report]

Lend Lease, Clark Group, Balfour Beatty top Building Design+Construction's 2013 ranking of the largest multifamily contractors and construction management firms in the United States.

| Jul 17, 2013

Top Multifamily Engineering Firms [2013 Giants 300 Report]

STV, URS, AECOM top Building Design+Construction's 2013 ranking of the largest multifamily engineering and engineering/architecture firms in the United States.

| Jul 17, 2013

Top Multifamily Architecture Firms [2013 Giants 300 Report]

IBI Group, Niles Bolton, Perkins Eastman top Building Design+Construction's 2013 ranking of the largest multifamily architecture and architecture/engineering firms in the United States.

| Jul 17, 2013

CBRE recognizes nation's best green research projects

A rating system for comparative tenant energy use and a detailed evaluation of Energy Star energy management strategies are among the green research projects to be honored by commercial real estate giant CBRE Group.  

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category


Urban Planning

Bridging the gap: How early architect involvement can revolutionize a city’s capital improvement plans

Capital Improvement Plans (CIPs) typically span three to five years and outline future city projects and their costs. While they set the stage, the design and construction of these projects often extend beyond the CIP window, leading to a disconnect between the initial budget and evolving project scope. This can result in financial shortfalls, forcing cities to cut back on critical project features.



Libraries

Reasons to reinvent the Midcentury academic library

DLR Group's Interior Design Leader Gretchen Holy, Assoc. IIDA, shares the idea that a designer's responsibility to embrace a library’s history, respect its past, and create an environment that will serve student populations for the next 100 years.

halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021