SSAB has used a special coating on sheet steel to develop a building material, Prelaq Energy, that helps to achieve a more comfortable indoor climate in both hot and cold weather, while providing an opportunity to save energy by reducing the need to cool or heat buildings.
Prelaq Energy is available in two versions, Prelaq Energy Interior and Prelaq Energy Exterior. They can be used separately or together, depending on the circumstances. Prelaq Energy Exterior reflects solar energy, which makes the sheet surface cooler than when traditional paint is used and results in a cooler indoor climate – even without air conditioning. Even if extra cooling is still needed, the desired temperature can be reached at a lower energy cost, compared with buildings without Prelaq Energy cladding. Measurements show that an annual savings of about seven percent is realistic in conventional buildings. In certain conditions the energy savings can be significantly greater.
THE CHALLENGE
New, modern facility for industrial work and customer visits
SVS Stansvormen BV has its operations in Amersfoort, about twenty kilometers northeast of Utrecht. The Dutch company produces punch forms for the packaging industry and also renovates and sells entire punching machines to other companies in the industry. The expanding business needed a new facility with room for both a shop and a showroom where the machines can be displayed for customers. One goal during the planning stage was for the new building to maintain a comfortable indoor climate in both the shop and the showroom.
THE SOLUTION
Well-known facade material with new therminal properties
Prelaq is a well-established brand in the construction industry. The Dutch construction company H Hardeman, one of SSAB's customers in the Netherlands, has good experience using Prelaq Energy. After discussions with the customer, SVS Stansvormen, Prelaq Energy Exterior was chosen for the external walls of the new building. The material's thermal properties result from to the ability of the paint coat to reflect solar energy, which makes the surface of the sheet cooler than when traditional paint is used. As a result, the indoor temperature stays lower on warm sunny days.
CUSTOMER BENEFITS
Comfortable indoor climate without a cooling system
SVS Stansvormen's brand new facility is an elegant dark-gray two-story building. Although the building has just been occupied, the property owner can already conclude that Prelaq Energy Exterior keeps its promise. The surface temperature of the wall is considerably lower than that of other buildings in the area. Compared with the glass façade, the difference is enormous, which was particularly noticeable when one of the glass plates had to be replaced on a sunny day. It was impossible to handle the glass without gloves because of the heat, while the gray Prelaq façade right next to it was essentially cool.
As a result, the indoor temperature is comfortable even on warm summer days, just as was planned.
Yet another benefit is that SVS Stansvormen decided not to install a cooling system. The regular ventilation system adequately evacuates the hot air generated by the machinery, resulting in major energy savings.