Comfort & Well-being Architecture | LEXAN™

Comfort & Well-Being

by Eric Gervais - Senior Architectural Business Development at POLYVANTIS LEXAN™ Film & Sheet | EMEA| 09-03-2024

Residential and work spaces are increasingly designed with a healthy and relaxing environment in mind. Natural light, thermal management, sound insulation and solar control are key factors of this development, and this is where LEXAN solid sheet and LEXAN THERMOCLEAR™ multiwall sheet products come into play. Thanks to their outstanding property profile and versatile technology, these materials offer a vast potential for B&C installations that can make an effective contribution to improved comfort and well-being, while offering a sustainable material choice and helping us adapt to climate change.

With double-sided UV protection and optional near-infrared resistance, LEXAN sheet enables the creation of durable glazing components that prevent the negative effects of direct solar irradiation (heat build-up) while permitting a maximum transmission of visible light. This can be an important consideration e.g. in learning environments, where a thermally well balanced indoor climate is required in combination with good natural lighting.

At the same time, LEXAN THERMOCLEAR sheet offers superior thermal insulation, which can be a significant consideration of energy efficiency and heating cost control. In applications extending the indoor environment to outdoor living spaces, such as garden rooms, its insulation capacity can even triple that of standard glass. In use for swimming pool covers, the multiwall sheet can retain pool heat, save energy and extend the pool season in colder climates. Where extra shading and solar control is needed, the material is available in a broad selection of translucent colors.

Despite their excellent transmission of visible light, transparent and translucent LEXAN sheet products are almost opaque to radiation in the UV and far-IR range. This can be a useful shielding property to prevent the discoloration of sensitive materials, such as fabrics or other organic materials, placed under or behind the sheet glazing e.g. in factory warehouses, museums or shopping centers.

Furthermore, LEXAN sheet products are virtually unbreakable. Made from polycarbonate resin, they exhibit extremely high impact strength. Combined with excellent noise barrier properties, this makes them ideal for rugged glazing panels providing greater acoustic comfort, from indoor partitions to demanding sound screens in urban, roadside and airport installations. For additional abrasion resistance and weatherability, they can also be supplied as part of our specialized LEXAN MARGARD™ and LEXAN EXTRITE™ sheet portfolio with a proprietary hardcoat applied to one or both sides.