Covestro: Facade element with efficient thermal insulation

According to Covestro, exterior cladding contributes significantly to the appearance of buildings, but it can also perform other important functions, such as shielding interiors from sound or the sun’s UV rays. Rear-ventilated facades, whose elements are typically made of aluminium, play a special role here. However, they have one major disadvantage: the metal acts as a thermal bridge, as it has a higher thermal conductivity than the surrounding materials. This can cause condensation, which negatively affects the thermal insulation.

The new AFAS Experience Center in Leusden, the Netherlands, is equipped with Fisco's facade fastening elements. (Source: AFAS Software)

Fisco GmbH was able to implement the idea of the Dutch construction supplier fischer Benelux B.V. for a completely new force-bearing fixture through the already installed insulation material: The ThermoBracket fastening element was specially developed for rear-ventilated facades with efficient thermal insulation. It is based on the aliphatic polyurethane composite Desmocomp from Covestro and is easy to install.

“Our composite material is highly resistant to UV radiation, making it ideal for long-term outdoor use,” said Andreas Hecking, an Aliphatic Composites Specialist at Covestro. “It also meets the high flame retardancy requirements for this application, making it attractive to the construction industry.”

Desmocomp is said to have a similar mechanical strength to aluminium, but its thermal conductivity is 1,000 times lower than with the standard metallic product. Therefore, even a low layer thickness of the composite material is sufficient to achieve good insulating performance. This both leads to a gain in the usable surface area on the building and contributes to the saving of CO₂ emissions and material – and thus to the conservation of resources, said Covestro.

www.covestro.com
www.fischer.group
www.fisco.de