The hot and humid weather of the Indian subcontinent is inspiring a growing number of architects to opt for building insulation. High standards of thermal insulation offer a practical and cost-effective means of reducing electricity consumption. Smart City, Kochi, is one such project where Aludecor ACPs have been used to manufacture sandwiched insulation panels, keeping in mind the coastal climate.
Smart City is a joint venture IT project between TEECOM (Dubai Holdings) and the Government of Kerala. The building has been designed by B&H Architects from Vancouver. Reachable by boat and road, Smart City has vast common areas and greenery.Ā Aludecor fire-rated ACPs have been used by Sherbrooke Aluminium Products to manufacture sandwiched insulated panels for the faƧade and the skylight.
The walls of this LEED Platinum-rated IT building complex are clad with double-glazed high-performance glass and aluminium composite panelsĀ with a 75mm insulating layer of extruded polystyrene (XPS) rigid foam insulation in between.
Also, the skylight is designed in a way so that it has enough illumination for the lobby and almost 75 percent direct heat and glare is avoided in the main IT Park lobby below.
Initially, the architects planned to use steel for the insulation panels, but later settled for ACP since it fares better in a coastal climate than steel. Owing to its lightweight, ACP has an added advantage over other building materials used for cladding.
There is a host of economic benefits to building insulation. A few of them are as follows:
- 70% to 80% energy loss is through the faƧade. Hence, insulated faƧades will save on energy consumptionĀ and eventually result in lower electricity bills
- Insulation reduces the heating and cooling costs by 20% to 30%
- The cost of insulation is not more than 1% to 3% of the total property value and lasts life long without any maintenance.
Building insulation has environmental benefits, too. Energy consumption in the building segment is rising at a faster rate due to rapid urbanisation. In India, buildings account for 10% of total greenhouse gas emissions. Insulation has an immediate impact on reducing total energy demand and reducing
greenhouse gas emissions.
Properly insulated buildings render to comfortable and healthy living by controlling temperature and noise level. With new technology and innovation that is shaping the modern Indian architecture, Aludecor ACPs can be an excellent option for a sandwiched insulation panel.
Details courtesy: Koshey K Cherian, Managing Partner, Sherbrooke
Aluminium Products
QUICK FACTS
Project: Smart City, Kochi
Location: Kochi, Kerala
Architect: B+H
FaƧade Consultant: Synergy
Fabricator: Sherbrooke Aluminium Products
FaƧade Material: ACP: AL45 Aludecor Firewall (Fire Rated ACP)
Speciality of the Project: LEED Platinum-rated Smart City, IT Building Complex, Kochi
