flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

GREENBUILD 2011: Transparent concrete makes its North American debut at Greenbuild

GREENBUILD 2011: Transparent concrete makes its North American debut at Greenbuild


By By BD+C Staff | October 7, 2011
Precast, transparent concrete panels can brighten any room and allow people to see images and objects behind them.

What if cement could light up a room? i.light precast, transparent concrete panels can brighten any room and allow people to see images and objects behind them.

Making its North American debut at Greenbuild, two i.light precast concrete walls, manufactured by ESSROC Italcementi Group, showcased the innovation of cement and the endless possibilities for interior and exterior applications by builders, designers and architects.

The transparency in cement is achieved via an innovative technology developed by Italcementi Group’s R&D department, in which a new dry ready-mixed product that allows bonding a light-transmitting plastic resin matrix is used. This allows the manufacturing of solid insulated concrete construction panels, which transmit light, both natural and artificial. The panels are guaranteed to last as long as a panel made from traditional cement material.

The result of the transparent panels is simply brilliant as they create a sequence of lights and shadows in constant evolution throughout the day. The transparent effect is more evident when it is dark and seen from the outside. The panels allow interior lights to filter through, from inside. During the day, exterior light filters in, showing the changes in the levels of daylight. The capability to transmit light can also make it possible to use less electricity, potentially contributing to energy savings. BD+C

Related Stories

Adaptive Reuse | Aug 31, 2023

Small town takes over big box

GBBN associate Claire Shafer, AIA, breaks down the firm's recreational adaptive reuse project for a small Indiana town.

Giants 400 | Aug 31, 2023

Top 35 Engineering Architecture Firms for 2023

Jacobs, AECOM, Alfa Tech, Burns & McDonnell, and Ramboll top the rankings of the nation's largest engineering architecture (EA) firms for nonresidential buildings and multifamily buildings work, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.

Giants 400 | Aug 30, 2023

Top 75 Engineering Firms for 2023

Kimley-Horn, WSP, Tetra Tech, Langan, and IMEG head the rankings of the nation's largest engineering firms for nonresidential buildings and multifamily buildings work, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.

Building Team | Aug 28, 2023

Navigating challenges in construction administration

Vessel Architecture's Rebekah Schranck, AIA, shares how the demanding task of construction administration can be challenging, but crucial.

Laboratories | Aug 24, 2023

Net-zero carbon science center breaks ground in Canada

Designed by Diamond Schmitt, the new Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre (ASEC) will provide federal scientists and partners with state-of-the-art space and equipment to collaborate on research opportunities.

Multifamily Housing | Aug 24, 2023

A multifamily design for multigenerational living

KTGY’s Family Flat concept showcases the benefits of multigenerational living through a multifamily design lens.

Multifamily Housing | Aug 23, 2023

Constructing multifamily housing buildings to Passive House standards can be done at cost parity

All-electric multi-family Passive House projects can be built at the same cost or close to the same cost as conventionally designed buildings, according to a report by the Passive House Network. The report included a survey of 45 multi-family Passive House buildings in New York and Massachusetts in recent years.

Regulations | Aug 23, 2023

Gas industry drops legal challenge to heat pump requirement in Washington building code

Gas and construction industry groups recently moved to dismiss a lawsuit they had filed to block new Washington state building codes that require heat pumps in new residential and commercial construction. The lawsuit contended that the codes harm the industry groups’ business, interfere with consumer energy choice, and don’t comply with federal law. 

Government Buildings | Aug 23, 2023

White House wants to ‘aggressively’ get federal workers back to the office

The Biden administration wants to “aggressively” get federal workers back in the office by September or October. “We are returning to in-person work because it is critical to the well-being of our teams and will enable us to deliver better results for the American people,” according to an email by White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients. The administration will not eliminate remote work entirely, though.

Building Owners | Aug 23, 2023

Charles Pankow Foundation releases free project delivery selection tool for building owners, developers, and project teams

Building owners and project teams can use the new Building Owner Assessment Tool (BOAT) to better understand how an owner's decision-making profile impacts outcomes for different project delivery methods.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category


Urban Planning

The magic of L.A.’s Melrose Mile

Great streets are generally not initially curated or willed into being. Rather, they emerge organically from unintentional synergies of commercial, business, cultural and economic drivers. L.A.’s Melrose Avenue is a prime example. 


Curtain Wall

7 steps to investigating curtain wall leaks

It is common for significant curtain wall leakage to involve multiple variables. Therefore, a comprehensive multi-faceted investigation is required to determine the origin of leakage, according to building enclosure consultants Richard Aeck and John A. Rudisill with Rimkus. 


halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021