09/08/2022
For many architects, the search for more environmentally-friendly ways of building is now a priority. Today, sustainable façades are one of the cornerstones of sustainable architecture and building.
Sustainable constructions are no longer the future, they're the present. The Nantes Post Office building is a prime example, where a Krion® Lux façade has been used to improve energy efficiency; as are the headquarters of fashion brand Zamasport, where the building enclosure demonstrates the perfect fusion of technology and creativity.
Project: ZAMASPORT HEADQUARTER
Architect: FRIGELIO DESING
Photography: © MARIO FRUSCA
Sustainable construction: no sacrifice involved. Design and luxury can go hand-in-hand with sustainability, as you can see in the wide range of PORCELANOSA Group constructions endorsed by sustainability hallmarks.
But what exactly is sustainable construction? Can buildings made in anything other than wood and bamboo be sustainable?
It is a type of construction based on the following rules:
A façade is made sustainable not only by taking the environment into account when manufacturing its materials, but also by how the material behaves during its useful life. In this regard, façades, like the creative wonder crafted by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava for Expo 2020 in Dubai, have the following advantages:
Sustainable construction techniques first became evident in construction in the 1980s, when the concept of "sustainable development" emerged.
These techniques focus on a type of construction that not only does not pollute the environment where it is built, but that minimises the ecological damage caused during the manufacture of the materials.
Naturally, the selection of materials plays an essential role in determining whether a construction project is sustainable. To determine if it is, a series of guidelines apply:
In order to develop sustainable construction techniques, it is essential that the materials meet these requirements.
KRION's solid surfaces meet all these conditions, making them a favourite option for architects looking to build sustainable buildings.
We only need to look to nature to find an endless number of sustainable construction materials, and architects and builders are now turning to these materials to ramp up sustainability. Natural façades are defined by their use of these materials.
A building needs to comply with a number of requirements in order to be classed as sustainable. These include being built in recyclable materials or providing a level of thermal insulation that leads to a considerable reduction in energy consumption.
Using Krion® in sustainable constructions ticks these boxes - and more. Krion's solid surface takes sustainable façades (and other applications) to the next level.
Project: TERRAZAS DEL LAGO
Architect: ESTUDIO DE ARQUITECTURA MORPH + INMOGLACIAR
Photography: © LUZESTUDIO FOTOGRAFÍA
The ventilated façade is, to date, the most efficient construction system for building envelopes. Thanks to the way it is built, there is an air chamber that separates the interior from the outer wall.
This has many effects on the structure:
Building a completely efficient construction using Krion® Lux in every room is now a reality. So which technical properties make this material a better option than all the other natural façade options we've looked at?
Krion® Lux is a 100% recyclable material, composed of two-thirds natural minerals and a low percentage of high-strength resins. This gives it outstanding technical properties, including high resistance against fire, extreme weather and temperature changes, and colour stability upon exposure to UV rays.
And because it's almost completely non-porous, it prevents bacteria from proliferating on its surface and stops fungi from developing or thriving, making it a much better choice than wood in this regard.
Project: NANTES POST OFFICE
Architect: SIXIEME RUE ARCHITECTURE & URBANISME
What's more, the material is easy to repair and maintain and can be adapted in an infinite number of ways. It can be thermoformed or moulded, cut and worked in the same way as wood.
Krion® Lux is the sustainable material par excellence. It has all the advantages of other sustainable façade materials and more on top, making it a truly unique solid surface.